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An Old English Inn at Christmas

English Fairytales

By JOSEPH JACOBS,

Author of "Celtic Fairy Tales," "Indian Fairy Tales," "More
English Fairy Tales," "More Celtic Fairy Tales," etc.

ILLUSTRATED BY JOHN D. BATTEN.

GROSSET & DUNLAP

Publishers New York

%5>b'i*ii'ia

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

3S5

PEEFACE.

THE present volume, with its companion, " More
English Fairy Tales," represents the nearest
approach to an English Grimm that we can hope to
obtain in these latter days. Modern methods ol
communication and education have reduced the
traditional store of the English peasantry to a mini-
mum which is as fully represented in these volumes
as it is ever likely to be. Yet few though they
be, compared with continental collections, they con-
tain several that may claim rank among the best of
folk-tales, and their continued popularity among
English children since their first publication proves
that there is something redolent of the soil which
gives them a special appeal.

For the methods adopted in collecting them,
which have formed the subject of r?omo controversy
with my brother folk-loristSj 1 must refer to the
preface and notes of the larger edition, which also
contain discussions, as full and as interesting as I
cculd make them, on the points of /iirchaeological or

PREFACE.

folk-lore importance which any of the tales present.
I have likewise given there the sources from which
I drew, and have only to add here that I have since
discovered that two of the best tales, " Tom Tit Tom,'"
and *• Cap o' Kushes," were originally due to the
memory of Mrs. Canon Thomas {nee Fison), who has
kindly allowed their continued use in the present
volume. I should add that the Eev. S. Baring-
Gould, to whom some of the stories in the volume
were due — ^having been contributed by him to the
first edition of Henderson — is about to add to the
scanty story-store of England from further collec-
tions he has made, while Mr. Addy has recently
published with Mr. Nutt a number of tales collected
by him in Derbyshire,

JOSEPH JACOBS.
July 1, 1895.

CONTENTS.

PASS

Tom Tit Tot.. , 1

The Three Sillies..,.. 11

The Rose-Tree 18

The Old Woman and Her Pig 24

How Jack went to Seek his Fortune 2S

Mr, Vinegar 32

Nix Nought Nothing 38

Jack Hannaf ord 46

Binnorie 50

Mouse and Mouser M

Cap o' Rushes > 58

Teeny-Tinj 65

Tack and the Beanstalk 67

The Story of the Three Little Pigs 73

The Master and his Pupil 83

Titty Mouse and Tatty Mouse 87

Jack and his Qolden Snuff-Box 92

The Story of the Three Bt*rs. 107

Jack the Qiant-KUler 114

Hen ny Penny 132

Childe Rowland 137

Molly Whuppie.o 146

The Red Ettin .-.„ 153

The Golden Arm , . .. W

CONTENTS.

The History of Tom Thumb 163

Mr. Fox 173

Lazy Jack 177

Johnny-Cake 181

Earl Mar's Daughter 186

Mr. Miacca 192

Whittington and his Cat 196

The Strange Visitor 210

The Laidly Worm of Spindleston Heugh 214

The Cat and the Mouse 220

The Fish and the Ring 223

The Magpie's Nest 229

Kate Crackernuts 232

The Cauld Lad of Hilton , 288

The Ass, the Table, and the Stick 241

Fairy Ointment 247

The Well of the World's End 251

Master of all Masters 256

The Three Heads of the Well , 258

Notes and References 865

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

TOM TIT TOT.

OFCE upon a time there was a woman, and she
baked five pies. And when they came out
of the oven they were that overbaked the crusts
were too hard to eat. So she says to her daughter :

" Darter," says she, " put you them there pies on
the shelf, and leave 'em there a little, and they'll
come again." — She meant, you know, the crust
would get soft.

But the girl, she says to herself : " Well, if they'll
come again, I'll eat 'em now." And she set to work
and ate 'em aU, first and last.

Well, come supper-time the woman said : " Go
you, and get one o' them there pies. I dare say
they've come again now.''

The girl went and she looked, and there was
nothing but the dishes. So back she came and says
she : " Noo, they ain't come again."

" Not one of 'em ?" says the mother.

" Not one of 'em," says she.

2 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

" "Well, come again, or not come again," said the
woman, " I'll have one for supper."

" But you can't, if they ain't come," said the girL

" But I can," says she. " Go you, and bring the
best of 'em."

" Best or worst," says the girl, " I've ate 'era all,
and you can't have one till that's come again."

Well, the woman she was done, and she took her
spinning to the door to spin, and as she span she
sang:

" My darter ha' ate five, five pies to-day.
My darter ha' ate five, five pies to-day."

The king was coming down the street, and he
heard her sing, but what she sang he couldn't hear,
so he stopped and said :

" What was that you were singing, my good
woman ?"

The woman was ashamed to let him hear what
her daughter had been doing, so she sang, instead
of that :

*\My darter ha' spun five, five skeins to-day."
My darter ha' spun five, five skeins to-day."

" Stars o' mine !" said the king, " I never heard
tell of any one that could do that."
Then he said : " Look you here, I want a wife,

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 3

and I'll marry your daughter. But look you here,"
says he, " eleven months out of the year she shall
have all she likes to eat, and all the gowns she likes
to get, and all the compan7 she likes to keep ; but
the last month of the year she'll have to spin five
skeins every day, and if she don't 1 shall kill her."

" All right," says the woman ; for she thought
what a grand marriage that was. And as for the
five skeins, when the time came, there'd be plenty
of ways of getting out of it, and likeliest, he'd have
forgotten all about it.

"Well, so they were married. And for eleven
months the girl had all she liked to eat, and all the
gowns she liked to get, and all the company she
liked to keep.

But when the time was getting over she began to
think about the skeins and to wonder if he had 'em
in mind. But not one word did he say about 'em,
and she thought he'd wholly forgotten 'em.

However, the last day of the last month he takes
her to a room she'd never set eyes on before. There
was nothing in it but a spinning-wheel and a stooL
And says he: "Now, my dear, here you'll be shut
in to-morrow with some victuals and some flax, and
if you haven't spun five skeins by the night your
head '11 go off."

And away he went about his business.

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

Well, she was that frightened, she'd always been
such a gatless girl, that she didn't so much as know
how to spin, and what was she to do to-morrow
with no one to come nigh her to help her ? She sat

down on a stool in the kitchen, and law ! how she
did cry !

However, all of a sudden she heard a sort of a
knocking low down on the door. She upped and
oped it, and what should she see but a small little
black thing with a long tail. That looked up at her
right curious, and that said :

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 5

" What are you a-crying for ?"

"What's that to you?" says she.

" Never you mind," that said, " but tell me what
you're a-crying for."

" That won't do me no good if I do," says she.

" You don't know that," that said, and twirled
that's tail round.

" Well," says she, " that won't do no harm, if that
don't do no good," and she upped and told about the
pies, and the skeins, and everything.

" This is what I'll do," says the little black
thing, " I'll come to your window every morning
and take the flax and bring it spun at night."

" What's your pay ?" says she.

That looked out of the corner of that's eyes, and
that said : " I'll give you three guesses every night
to guess my name, and if you haven't guessed it be-
fore the month's up you shall be mine."

Well, she thought she'd be sure to guess that's
name before the month was up. " AU right," says
she, " I agree."

" All right," that says, and law ! how that twirled
that's tail.

Well, the next day, her husband took her into the
room, and there was the flax and the day's food.

" Kow there's the flax," says he, " and if that
ain't spun up this night off goes your head."

$ ENGLISH FAIltT TALES.

And then he went out and locked the door.

He'd hardly gone, when there was a knocking
against the window.

She upped and she oped it, and there sure enough
was the little old tning sitting on the ledge.

"Where's the flax?" says he.

" Here it be," says she. And she gave it to him.

Well, come the evening a knocking came again to
the window. She upped and she oped it, and there
was the little old thing with five skeins of flax on
his arm.

" Here it be," says he, and he gave it to her,

" Now, what's ray name ?" says he.

« What, is that Bill ?" says she.

"Noo, that ain't," says he, and he twirled hia
tail.

« Is that Ned ?" says she.

"Noo, that ain't," says he, and he twirled hia
tail.

« Well, is that Mark ?" says she.

" Noo, that ain't," says he, and he twirled his taii
harder, and away he flew.

Well, when her husband came in there were the
five skeins ready for him. " I see I shan't have to
kill you to-night, my dear," says he ; " you'll have
your food and your flax in the morning," says he,
and away he goes.

ENGLISH FAIR F TALES. 7

Well, every day the flax and the food were
brought, and every day that there little black impet
used to come mornings and evenings. And all the
day the girl sate trying to think of names to say to
it when it came at night. But she never hit on the
right one. And as it got toward the end of the
month, the impet began to look so maliceful, and
that twirled that's tail faster and faster each time
she gave a guess.

At last it came to the last day but one. The
impet came at night along with the five skeins, and
that said :

" What, ain't you got my name yet V*

"Is that Nicodemus?" says she.

" Noo, t'ain't," that says.

"Is that Sammle ?" says she.

" Noo, t'ain't," that says.

" A-well, is that Methusalem ?" says she.

" Noo, t'ain't that neither," that says.

Then that looks at her with that's eyes like a coal
o' fire, and that says : " Woman, there's only to-
morrow night, and then you'll be mine !" And
away it flew.

Well, she felt that horrid. However, she heard
the king coming along the passage. In he camet
and when he sees the five skeins, he says, says dc .

" Well, my dear," says he, " I don't see but what

8 ENGLISH FAIR Y TALES.

you'll have your skeins ready to-morrow night as
well, and as I reckon I shan't have to kill you, I'll
have supper in here to-night." So they brought
supper, and another stool for him, and down the
two sate.

Well, he hadn't eaten but a mouthful or so, when
he stops and begins to laugh.

" What is it ?" says she.

" A- why," says he, " I was out arhunting to-day,'
und I got away to a place in the wood I'd never
seen before. And there was an old chalk-pit. And
I heard a kind of a sort of a humming. So I got
off my hobby, and I went right quiet to the pit, and
I looked down. Well, what should there be but
the funniest little black thing you ever set eyes on.
And what was that doing, but that had a little
spinning-wheel, and that was spinning wonderful
fast, and twirling that's tail. And as that span that
sang :

" ' Kimmy Nimmy Not

My name's Tom Tit Tot.' "

Well, when the girl heard this, she felt as if she
could have jumped out of her skin for joy, but she
didn't say a word.

]!^ext day that there little thing looked so malice-
ful when he came for the flax. And when night
came she heard that knocking against the window

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 9

panes. She oped the window, and that come
right in on the ledge. That was grinning from ear
to ear, and Oo ! that's tail was twirling round so
fast.

" What's my name ?" that says, as that gave her
the skeins.

"Is that Solomon?" she says, pretending to be
afeard.

" Koo, t'ain't," that says, and that came further
into the room.

" Well, is that Zebedee ?" says she again.

10 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

"Noo, 'tain't," says the impet. And then that
laughed and twirled that's tail till you couldn't
hardly see it.

" Take time, woman," that says ; " next guess and
you're mine." And that stretched out that's black
hands at her.

Well, she backed a step or two, and she looked at
it, and then she laughed out, and says she, pointing
her finger at it :

" Nimmy Nimmy Not
Your name's Tom Tit Tot."

"Well, when that heard her, that gave an awful
shriek and away that flew into the dark, and she
never saw it any more.

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES, H

THE THKEE SILLIES.

ONCE upon a time there was a farmer and his
wife who had one daughter, and she was
courted by a gentleman. Every evening he used to
come and see her, and stop to supper at the farm-
house, and the daughter used to be sent down into
the cellar to draw the beer for supper. So one
evening she had gone down to draw the beer, and
she happened to look up at the ceiling while she
was drawing, and she saw a mallet stuck in one of
the beams. It must have been there a long, long
time, but somehow or other she had never noticed
it before, and she began a-thinking. And she
thought it was very dangerous to have that mallet
there, for she said to herself : " Suppose him and me
was to be married, and we was to have a son, and
he was to grow up to be a man, and come down into
the cellar to draw the beer, like as I'm doing now,
and the mallet was to fall on his head and kill him,
wliat a dreadful thing it would be !" And she put

13 SrNGLISH FAIRY TALES.

down the candle and the jug, and sat herself down
and began a-crying.

Well, they began to wonder upstairs how it was
that she was so loug drawing the beer, and her
mother went down to see after her, and she found
her sitting on the settle, crying, and the beer run-
ning over the floor. " Why, whatever is the mat-
ter ?" said her mother, " Oh, mother !" says she,
" look at that horrid mallet ! Suppose we was to be
married, and was to have a son, and he was to grow
up, and was to come down to the cellar to draw the
beer, and the mallet was to fall on his head and kill
him, what a dreadful thing it would be !" " Dear,
dear ! what a dreadful thing it would be !" said the
mother, and she sat her down aside of the daughter
and started a-crying, too. Then, after a bit, the
father began to wonder that they didn't come back,
and he went down into the cellar to look after them
himself, and there they two sat a-crying, and the
beer running aU over the floor. " Whatever is the
matter ?" says he. " Why," says the mother, " look
at that horrid mallet. Just suppose, if our daughter
and her sweetheart was to be married, and was to
have a son, and he was to grow up, and was to come
down into the cellar to draw the beer, and the
mallet was to fall on his head and kill him, what
a dreadful, thing it would b^^' " Dear, deai;

ENGLISH FAIRT TALE&. 13

dear ! so it would !" said the fathet, and he sat
himself down aside of the other two, and started
a-crying,

Now the gentleman got tired of stopping up in
the kitchen by himself, and at last he went down
into the cellar too, to see what they were after;
and there they three sat a-crying side by side, and
the beer running all over the floor. And he ran
straight and turned the tap. Then he said : " What-
ever are you three doing, sitting there crying, and
letting the beer run all over the floor?" "Oh!"
says the father, " look at that horrid mallet ! Sup-
pose you and our daughter was to be married, and
was to have a son, and he was to grow up, and was
to come down into the cellar to draw the beer, and
the mallet was to fall on his head and kill him !"
And then they all started a-crying worse than
before. But the gentleman burst out a-laughing,
and reached up and pulled out the mallet, and then
he said : " I've traveled many miles, and I never
met three such big sillies as you three before ; and
now I shall start out on my travels again, and when
I can find three bigger sillies than you three, then
I'll come back and marry your daughter." So he
wished them good-by, and started off on his travels,
and left them all crying because the girl had lost;
her sweetheart.

U ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

"Well, he set out, and he traveled a long way, and
at last he came to a woman's cottage that had some
grass growing on the roof. And the woman was
trying to get her cow to go up a ladder to the grass,
and the poor thing durst not go. So the gentleman
asked the woman what she was doing. "Why,
lookye," she said, " look at all that beautiful grass,
I'm going to get the cow on to the roof to eat it.
She'll be quite safe, for I shall tie a string round
her neck, and pass it down the chimney, and tie it
to my wrist as I go about the house, so she can't
faU off without my knowing it." " Oh, you poor
silly!" said the gentleman, "you should cut the
grass and throw it down to the cow!" But the
woman thought it was easier to get the cow up the
ladder than to get the grass down, so she pushed
her and coaxed her and got her up, and tied a string
round her neck, and passed it down the chimney,
and fastened it to her own wrict. And the gentle-
man went on his way, but he hadn't gone far when
the cow tumbled off the roof, and hung by the
string tied round her neck, and it strangled her.
And the weight of the cow tied to her wrist pulled
the woman up the chimney, and she stuck fast half-
way and was smothered in the soot.

Well, that was one big silly.

And the gentleman went on and on, and he w«ai

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

15

to an inn to stop the night, and they were so full at
the inn that they had to put him in a double-bedded
room, and another traveler was to sleep in the other
bed. The other man was a very pleasant fellow,

and they got very friendly together; but in the
morning, when they were both getting up, the
gentleman was surprised to see the other hang his
trousers on the knobs of the chest of drawers and
run across the room and try to jump into them, and
he tried over and over again, and couldn't manage

16 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

it; and the gentleman wondered whatever he was
doing it for. At last he stopped and wiped his face
with his handkerchief. " Oh dear," he says, " I do
think trousers are the most awkwardest kind of
clothes that ever were. I can't think who could
have invented such things. It takes me the best
part of an hour to get into mine every morning,
and I get so hot ! How do you manage yours ?"
So the gentleman burst out a-laughing, and showed
him how to put them on ; and he was very much
obliged to him, and said he never should have
thought of doing it that way.

So that was another big silly.

Then the gentleman went on his travels again ;
and he came to a village, and outside the village
there was a pond, and round the pond was a crowd
of people. And they had got rakes, and brooms,
and pitchforks, reaching into the pond; and the
gentleman asked what was the matter. "Why,"
they say, " matter enough ! Moon's tumbled into the
pond, and we can't rake her out anyhow !" So the
gentleman burst out a-laughing, and told them to
look up into the sky, and that it was only the
shadow in the water. But they wouldn't listen to
him, and abused him shamefully, and he got away
as quick as he could.

ENGLISH FAIBT TALES.

17

So there was a whole lot of sillies bigger than
them three sillies at home. So the gentleman
turned back home again and married the farmer's
daughter, and if they didn't live happy forever after,
that's nothing to do with you or me.

My little brother whom I love,
Sits below and sing above.

THE KOSE-TKEE.

THEE-E was once upon a time a good man who
had two children : a girl by a first wife, and a
boy by the second. The girl was as white as milk, and

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 19

her lips were like cherries. Her hair was like golden
silk, and it hung to the ground. Her brother loved
her dearly, but her wicked stepmother hated her.
" Child," said the stepmother one day, " go to the
grocer's shop and buy me a pound of candles." She
gave her money ; and the little girl went,
bought the candles, and started on her return.
There was a stile to cross. She put down the
candles while she got over the stile. Up came the
dog and ran off with the candles.

She went back to the grocer's, and she got a
second bunch. She came to the stile, set down the
candles, and proceeded to climb over. Up came the
dog and ran off with the candies.

She went again to the grocer's, and she got a third
bunch ; and just the same happened. Then she
came to her stepmother crying, for she had spent
all the money and had lost three bunches of candles.

The stepmother was angry, but she pretended not
to mind the loss. She said to the child : " Come,
lay your head on my lap that I may comb your
hair." So the little one laid her head in the
woman's lap, who proceeded to comb the yellow
silken hair. And when she combed the hair fell
over her knees, and rolled right down to the
ground.

Then the stepmother hated her more for the

20 ENOLian FAIRY TALES.

beauty of her hair ; so she said to her, " I cannow
part your hair on my knee, fetch a billet of wood."
So she fetched it. Then said the stepmother, " I
cannot part your hair with a comb, fetch me an
ax." So she fetched it.

" Kow," said the wicked woman, " lay your head
down on the billet while I part your hair."

Well ! she laid down her little golden head with-
out fear ; and whist ! down came the ax, and it
was off. So the mother wiped the ax and laughed.

Then she took the heart and liver of the little
girl, and she stewed them and brought them into
the house for supper. The husband tasted them
and shook his head. He said they tasted very
strangely. She gave some to the little boy, but he
would not eat. She tried to force him, but he
refused, and ran out into the garden, and took up
his little sister, and put her in a box, and buried
the box under a rose-tree ; and every day he went
to the tree and wept, till his tears ran down on the
box.

One day the rose-tree flowered. It was spring,
and there among the flowers was a white bird ; and
it sang, and sang, and sang like an angel out of
heaven. Away it flew, and it went to a cobbler's
shop, and perched itself on a tree hard by ; and thus
It sang :

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. %\

" My wicked mother slew me,
My dear father ate me,
My little brother whom I love
Sits below, and I sing above
Stick, stock, stone dead."

" Sing again that beautiful song," asked the shoe-
maker. ^* If you will first give me those little red
shoes you are making." The cobbler gave the
snoes, and tne bird sang the song ; then flew to a
tree in front of a watchmaker's and sang :

" My wicked mother slew me,
My dear father ate me,
My little brother whom I love
Sits below, and I sing above
Stick, stock, stone dead."

" Oh, the beautiful song ! sing it again, sweet
bird," asked the watchmaker. " If you will give
me first that gold watch and chain in your hand."
The jeweler gave the watch and chain. The bird
took it in one foot, the shoes in the other, and,
after having repeated the song, flew away to where
three millers were picking a millstone. The bird
perched on a tree and sang :

" My wicked mother slew me^
My dear father ate mo.

2a ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

My little brother whom I love
Sits below, and I sing above
Stick!

Then one of the men put down his tool and
looked up from his work,

" Stock !

Then the second miller's man laid aside his tool
and looked up,

" Stone I

Then the third miller's man laid down his tool
and looked up,

" Dead i"

Then all three cried out with one voice : " Oh,
what a beautiful song ! Sing it, sweet bird, again."
" If you will put the millstone round my neck,"
said the bird. The men did what the bird wanted
and away to the tree it flew with the millstone
round its neck, the red shoes in one foot, and the
gold watch and chain in the other. It sang the
song and then flew home. It rattled the millstone
against the eaves of the house, and the stepmother
said : " It thunders." Then the little boy ran out
to see the thunder, and down dropped the red shoes
at his feet. It rattled the millstone against the

BNGLI8B irAinr TALES. 23

eaves of the house once more, and the stepmother
said again : " It thunders." Then the father ran
out and down fell the chain about his neck.

In ran father and son, laughing and saying, " See,
what fine things the thunder has brought us !" Then
the bird rattled the millstone against the eaves of
the house a third time ; and the stepmother said :
" It thunders again, perhaps the thunder has brought
something for me," and she ran out ; but the moment
she stepped outside the door down fell the millstone
on ncr head ; and so she died.

THE OLD AVOMAN AND HER PIG.

AN old woman was sweeping her house, and she
found a little crooked sixpence. ""What,"
said she, " shall I do with this little sixpence ? I will
go to market, and buy a little pig."
As she was coming home she
came to a stile; but the piggy
wouldn't go over the stile.

She went a little further, and she
met a dog. So she said to him:
" Dog ! dog ! bite pig ; piggy won't
go over the stile ; and I shan't get
home to-night." But the dog wouldn't.

She went a little further, and she met a stick. So
she said : " Stick ! stick ! beat dog ; dog won't bite
pig ; piggy won't get over the stile ; and I shan't
get home to-night." But the stick wouldn't.

She went a little further, and she met a fire. So
she said : " Fire ! fire ! burn stick ; stick won't beat
dog ; doof won't bite pig ; piggy won't get over the

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

25

stfle ; and I shan't get home to-night." But the fire
wouldn't.

She went a little further, and she met some water.
So she said : " Water ! water ! quench fire ; fire
won't burn stick ; stick won't beat dog ; dog won't
bite pig ; piggy won't get
over the stile; and I shan't
get home to-night." But the
water wouldn't.

She went a little further,
and she met an ox. So she
said : " Ox ! ox ! drink water ;
water won't quench fire ; fire
won't burn stick ; stick won't
beat dog ; dog won't bite pig ;
piggy won't get over the stile ;
and I shan't get home to-
night." But the ox wouldn't.

She went a little further, and she met a butcher.
So she said : " Butcher ! butcher ! kill ox ; ox won't
drink water ; water won't quench fire ; fire won't
burn stick ; stick won't beat dog ; dog won't bite
pig ; piggy won't get over the stile ; and I shan't get
home to-night." But the butcher wouldn't.

She went a little further, and she met a rope. So
she said : " Rope ! rope ! hang butcher ; butcher
won^'t kill ox ; ox won^ drink water ; water won't

26 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

quench fire ; fire won't burn stick ; stick won't beat
dog ; dog won't bite pig ; piggy won't get over
the stile ; and I shan't get home to-night." But
the rope wouldn't.

She went a little further, and she met a rat. So
she said : " Kat ! rat ! gnaw rope ; rope won't
hang butcher ; butcher won't kill ox ; ox won't
drink water ; water won't quench fire ; fire won't
burn stick ; stick won't beat dog ; dog won't bite
pig ; piggy won't get over the stile ; and I shan't
get home to-night." But the rat wouldn't.

She went a little further, and she met a cat. So
she said : " Cat ! cat ! kill rat ; rat won't gnaw
rope ; rope won't hang butcher ; butcher won't kill
ox ; ox won't drink water ; water won't quench fire ;
fire won't burn stick; stick won't beat dog; dog
won't bite pig ; pigg}'' won't get over the stile ; and
I shan't get home to-night." But the cat said to
her: "If you will go to yonder cow, and fetch
me a saucer of milk, I will kill the rat." So away
went the old woman to the cow.

But the cow said to her : " If you will go to yon«
der haystack, and fetch me a handful of hay, I'll
give you the milk." So away went the old woman
to the haystack ; and she brought the hay to the
cow.

As soon as the cow had eaten the hay she gave

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 27

the old woman the milk ; and away she went with
it in a saucer to the cat.

As soon as the cat had lapped up the milk
the cat began to kill the rat ; the rat began to
gnaw the rope ; the rope began to hang the
butcher ; the butcher began to kill the ox ; the
ox began to drink the water ; the water began to
quench the fire ; the fire began to burn the stick ;
the stick began to beat the dog ; the dog began to
bite the pig ; the little pig in a fright jumped over
the stile; and so the old woman got home that
night

HOW JACK WENT TO SEEK HIS FORTUNE.

ONCE on a time there was a boy named Jack,
and one morning he started to go and seek
his fortune.

He hadn't gone very far before he met a cat.

" Where are you going, Jack ?" said the cat.

" I am going to seek my fortune."

" May I go with you ?"

'' Yes," said Jack, " the more the merrier. **

So on they went, jiggelty-jolt, jiggelty-jolt.

They went a little further and they met a dog.

" Where are you going, Jack ?" said the dog.

" I am going to seek my fortune.'*

" May I go with you?"

" Yes," said Jack, " the more the merrier."

So on they went, .iigpelty-jolt, jiggelty-jolt.

ENGLISH FAIB7 TALES. 29

Thej went a little further and they met a goat.

" Where are you going, Jack V said the goat.

" I am going to seek my fortune."

" May I go with you ?"

"Yes," said Jack, " the more the merrier."

So on they went, jiggelty-jolt, jiggelty-jolt.

They went a little further and they met a bull.

"Where are you going, Jack?" said the bull.

" I am going to seek my fortune."

" May I go with you ?"

" Yes," said Jack, " the more the merrier."

So on they went, jiggelty-jolt, jiggelty-jolt.

They went a little further and they met a rooster.

" Where are you going. Jack ?" said the rooster.

" I am going to seek my fortune."

" May I go with you ?"

" Yes," said Jack, " the more the merrier."

So on they went, jiggelty-jolt, jiggelty-jolt.

Well, they went on till it was about dark, and
they began to think of some place where they could
spend the night. About this time they came in
sight of a house, and Jack told them to keep still
while he went up and looked in through the window.
And there were some robbers counting over their
money. Then Jack went back and told them to
wait till he gave the word, and then to make all the
noise they could. So when they were all ready

30 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

Jack gave the word, and the cat mewed, and the
dog barked, and the goat bleated, and the bull
bellowed, and the rooster crowed, and all together
they made such a dreadful noise that it frightened
the robbers all away.

And then they went in and took possession of
the house. Jack was afraid the robbers would come
back in the night, and so when it came time to go
to bed he put the cat in the rocking-chair, and he
put the dog under the table, and he put the goat
upstairs, and he put the bull in the cellar, and the
rooster flew up on to the roof, and Jack went to
bed.

By and by the robbers saw it was all dark and
they sent one man back to the house to look after
their money. Before long he came back in a great
fright and told them his story.

" I went back to the house," said he, " and went
in and tried to sit down in the rocking-chair, and
there was an old woman knitting, and she stuck
her knitting-needles into me." That was the cat,
you know.

" I went to the table to look after the money and
there was a shoemaker under the table, and he
stuck his awl into me." That was the dog, you
know.

" I started to go upstairs, and there was a man

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 31

up there threshing, and he knocked me down with
his flail." That was the goat, you know.

" I started to go down cellar, and there was a
man down there chopping wood, and he knocked
me up with his ax," That was the bull, you know.

" But I shouldn't have minded all that if it hadn't
been for that little fellow on top of the house, who
kept a-hollering, ' Chuck him up to me-e ! Chuck
him up to me-e ! ' " Of course that was the cock-ar
doodle-do.

ms

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES,

MK. YINEGAE.

MK. and Mrs. Yinegar lived in a vinegar bottle
Now, one day, when Mr. Yinegar was from
home, Mrs. Yinegar, who was a very good housewife,
was busily sweeping her house, when an unlucky

thump of the broom brought the whole house clitter-
clatter, clitter-clatter, about her ears. In an agony of
grief she rushed forth to meet her husband. On seeing
him she exclaimed, " Oh, Mr. Yinegar, Mr. Yinegar,
we are ruined, we are ruined : I have knocked the

WNQLI8E FAIRY TALES. 33

house down, and it is all to pieces 1" Mr. Yinegar
then said : " My dear, let us see what can be done.
Here is the door ; I will take it on my back, and W9
will go forth to seek our fortune." They walked
all that day, and at nightfall entered a thick forest.
They were both very, very tired, and Mr. Yinegar
said : " My love, I will climb up into a tree, drag up
the door, and you shall follow." He accordingly
did so, and they both stretched their weary limbs
on the door, and fell fast asleep. In the middle of
the night Mr. Yinegar was disturbed by the sound
of voices underneath, and to his horror and dismay
found that it was a band of thieves met to divide
their booty. " Here, Jack," said one, " here's five
pounds for you; here. Bill, here's ten pounds for
you ; here. Bob, here's three pounds for you." Mr.
Yinegar could listen no longer ; his terror was so
great that he trembled and trembled, and shook
down the door on their heads. Away scampered
the thieves, but Mr. Yinegar dared not quit his re-
treat till broad daylight. He then scrambled out of
the tree, and went to lift up the door. What did he
see but a number of golden guineas. " Come down,
Mrs. Yinegar," he cried ; " come down, I say ; our
fortune's made, our fortune's made ! Come down I
say," Mrs. Yinegar got down as fast as she could, and
when she saw the money she Jumped for joy.

34 ENOLian FAIRY 1ALE8.

" Now, my dear," said she, " " I'll tell you what yon
shall do. There is a fair at the neighboring town ;
you shall take these forty guineas and buy a cow.
I can make butter and cheese, which you shall sell
at market, B,nd we shall then be able to live very
comfortably." Mr. Vinegar joyfully agrees, takes
the money, and off he goes to the fair. When he
arrived he walked up and down, and at length saw
a beautiful red cow. It was an excellent milker,
and perfect in every way. " Oh," thought Mr.
Vinegar, " if I had but that cow I should be the
happiest man alive." So he offers the forty guineas
for the cow, and the owner said that, as he was a
friend, he'd oblige him. So the bargain was made,
and he got the cow and he drove it backward and
forward to show it. By and by he saw a man play-
ing the bagpipes — Tweedle-dum tweedle-dee. The
children followed him about, and he appeared to be
pocketing money on all sides. " Well," thought
Mr. Vinegar, " if I had but that beautiful instrument
I should be the happiest man alive — my fortune
would be made." So he went up to the man.
"Friend," says he, "what a beautiful instrument
that is, and what a deal of money you must make."
" Why, yes," said the man, " I make a great deal of
money, to be sure, and it is a wonderful instrument."
"Ohl" cried Mr. Vinegar, "how I should like to

EN0LI8H FAIRT TALES. 35

possess it !" " Well," said the man, " as you are a
friend, I don't much mind parting with it ; you
shall have it for that red cow." " Done !" said the
delighted Mr. Vinegar. So the beautiful red cow
was given for the bagpipes. He walked up and
down with his purchase ; but it was in vain he tried
CO play a tune, and instead of pocketing pence, the
boys followed him hooting, laughing, and pelting.

Poor Mr. Vinegar, his fingers grew very cold, and,
just as he was leaving the town, he met a man with,
a fine thick pair of gloves. " Oh, my fingers are so
very cold," said Mr. Vinegar to himself. " Now if
I had but those beautiful gloves I should be the
happiest man alive," He went up to the man, and
said to him : " Friend, you seem to have a capital
pair of gloves there." " Yes, truly," cried the man ;
" and my hands are as warm as possible this cold
November day." "Well," said Mr. Vinegar, "I
should like to have them," " What will you give ?"
said the man ; " as you are a friend, I don't much
mind letting you have them for those bagpipes.'*
" Done !" cried Mr. Vinegar. He put on the
gloves, and felt perfectly happy as he trudged
homeward.

At last he grew very tired, when he saw a man
coming toward him with a good stout stick in his
hand.

36 ENGLISH FAIEY TALES.

« Oh," said Mr. Yinegar, " that I had but that
stick ! I should then be the happiest man alive."
He said to the man: "Friend! what a rare good
stick you have got." "Yes," said the man; "I
have used it for many a long mile, and a good
friend it has been ; but if you have a fancy for it, as
you are a friend, I don't mind giving it to you for
that pair of gloves.'' Mr. Yinegar's hands were so
warm, and his legs so tired, that he gladly made the
exchange. As he drew near to the wood where he
had left his wife he heard a parrot on a tree calling
out his name : " Mr. Yinegar, you foolish man, you
blockhead, you simpleton ; you went to the fair, and
laid out all your money in buying a cow. Not con-
tent with that, you changed it for bagpipes, on
which you could not play, and which were not
worth one-tenth of the money. You fool, you — ^you
had no sooner got the bagpipes than you changed
them for the gloves, which were not worth one-
quarter of the money ; and when you had got the
gloves you changed them for a poor, miserable
stick ; and now for your forty guineas, cow, bag-
pipes, and gloves, you have nothing to show but
that poor, miserable stick, which you might have
cut in any hedge." On this the bird laughed and
laughed, and Mr. Yinegar, falling into a violent

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

37

rage, threw the stick at its head. The stick lodged
in the tree, and he returned to his wife without
money, cow, bagpipes, gloves, or stick, and she
instantly gave him such a sound cudgeling, that she
almost broke every bone in his skin.

g^ ENGLISH FAIRT TALE&

NIX NOUGHT NOTHING.

THEKE once lived a king and a queen as many
a one has been. They were long married
and had no children ; but at last a baby-boy came
to the queen when the king was away in the far
countries. The queen would not christen the boy
till the king came back, and she said, " We will just
call him Wix Nought Nothing until his father comes
home." But it was long before he came home, and
the boy had grown a fine, bonny laddie. At length
the king was on his way back ; but he had a big
river to cross, and there was a whirlpool, and he
could not get over the water. But a giant came up
to him, and said : " I'll carry you over." But the
king said : " Whafs your pay ?" " Oh, give me
Nix, Nought, Nothing, and I will carry you over
the water on my back." The king had never heard
that his son was called Nix Nought Nothing, and so
he said : " Oh, I'll give you that, and my thanks
into the bargain." When the king got home again

ENGLISH FAIRY TALEIS. 39

he was very happ}'' to see his wife again, and his
young son. She told him that she had not given
the child any name, but just Nix Nought Nothing,
until he should come home again himself. The poor
king was in a terrible case. He said : " What have
I done ? I promised to give the giant who carried
me over the river on his back Nix Nought Nothing."
The king and the queen were sad and sorry, but
they said: "When the giant comes we will give
him the hen-vrife's boy ; he will never know the dif-
ference." The next day the giant came to claim
the king's promise, and he sent for the hen-wife's
boy ; and the giant went away with the boy on his
back. He traveled till he came to a big stone, and
there he sat down to rest. He said :

" Hidge, Hodge, on my back, what time ^f day is
that?"

The poor little lad said : " It is the time that my
mother, the hen-wife, takes up the eggs for the
queen's breakfast."

Then the giant was very angry, and dashed the
boy on the stone and killed him.

Back he went in a tower of a temper and this
time they gave him the gardener's boy. He went
off with him on his back till they got to the stone
again, when the giant sat down to rest. And he
said :

40 ENOLISH FAIRY TALES.

" Hidge, Hodge, on my back, what time of day
do you make that ?"

The gardener's boy said : " Sure it's the time that
my mother takes up the vegetables for the queen's
dinner."

Then the giant was as wild as could be, and killed
him, too.

Then the giant went back to the king's house in a
terrible temper and said he would destroy them all
if they did not give him Nix Nought Nothing this
time. They had to do it ; and when he came to the
big stone the giant said: "What time of day is
that ?" Nix Nought Nothing said : " It is the time
that my father, the king, will be sitting down to
supper." The giant said : " I've got the right ont
now ;" and took Nix Nought Nothing to his own
house and brought him up tiU he was a man.

The giant had a bonny daughter, and she and
the lad grew very fond of each other. The giant
said one day to Nix Nought Nothing : " I've work
for you to-morrow. There is a stable seven miles
long and seven miles broad, and it has not been
cleaned for seven years, and you must clean it to-
morrow, or I will have you for my supper."

The giant's daughter went out next morning with
the lad's breakfast, and found him in a terrible
state, for always as he cleaned out a bit it just fell

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 41

in again. The giant's daughter said she would help
him, and she cried all the beasts in the field, and all
the fowls of the air, and in a minute they all came,
and carried away everything that was in the stable
and made it all clean before the giant came home.
He said : " Shame on the wit that helped you ; but
I have a worse job for you to-ii\orrow." Then he
said to Nix Nought Nothing : " There's a lake seven
miles long, and seven miles deep, and seven miles
broad, and you must drain it to-morrow by night-
fall, or else I'll have you for my supper." Nix
Nought Nothing began early next morning and
tried to lave the water with his pail, but the lake
was never getting any less, and he didn't know what
to do ; but the giant's daughter called on all the
fish in the sea to come and drink the water, and
very soon they drank it dry. When the giant saw
the work done he was in a rage, and said : " I've a
worse job for you to-morrow ; there is a tree, seven
miles high, and no branch on it, till you get to the
top, and there is a nest with seven eggs in it, and
you must bring down all the eggs without breaking
one, or else I'D. have you for my supper." At first
the giant's daughter did not know how to help Nix
Nought Nothing ; but she cut off first her fingers
and then her toes, and made steps of them, and he
'iomb the tree and got all the eggs safe till he came

42 ENGLISH FAIRT TALES.

just to the bottom, and then one was broken. So
they determined to run away together, and after
the giant's daughter had gone back to her room,
and got her magic flask they set out together as fast
as they could run. And they hadn't got but three
fields away when they looked back and saw the
giant walking along at full speed after them.
" Quick, quick," called out the giant's daughter,
" take my comb from my hair and throw it down."
Nix Nought Nothing took her comb from her hair
and threw it down, and out of every one of its
prongs there sprung up a fine thick briar in the way
of the giant. You may be sure it took him a long
time to work his way through the briar bush, and
by the time he was well through Nix Nought Noth-
ing and his sweetheart had run far far away from
him. But he soon came along after them and was
just like to catch 'em up when the giant's daughter
called out to Nix Nought Nothing : " Take my
hair dagger and thrown it down, quick, quick."
So Nix Nought Nothing threw down the hair
dagger and out of it grew as quick as lightning a
thick hedge of sharp razors placed criss cross. The
giant had to tread very cautiously to get through
all this and meanwhile they both ran hard, and on,
and on, and on, till they were nearly out of sight.
But at last the giant was through, and it wasn't long

ENGLISH FAIRT TALES. 43

before he was like to catch them up. But just as
he was stretching out his hand to catch Nix Nought
Nothing his daughter took out her magic flask and
dashed it on the ground. And as it broke out of it
welled a big, big wave that grew, and that grew,
till it reached the giant's waist and then his neck,
and when it got to his head he was drowned dead,
and dead, and dead indeed.

But Nix Nought Nothing fled on till where do
you think they came to ? Why, to near the castle
of Nix Nought Nothing's father and mother. But
the giant's daughter was so weary that she couldn't
move a step further. So Nix Nought Nothing told
her to wait there while he went and found out a
lodging for the night. And he went on toward the
lights of the castle, and on the way he came to the
*»*^ttage of the hen-wife whose boy, you'll remember,

44 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

had been killed by the giant. Kow she knew Nix
Nought Nothing in a moment, and hated him be-
cause he was the cause of her son's death. So when
he asked his way to the castle she put a spell upon
him, and when he got to the castle, no sooner was
he let in than he fell down dead asleep upon a
bench in the hall. The king and queen tried all
they could do to wake him up, but all in vain. So
the king promised that if any maiden could wake
him she should marry him. Meanwhile the giant's
daughter was waiting and waiting for him to come
back. And she went up into a tree to watch for
him. The gardener's daughter, going to draw
water in the well, saw the shadow of the lady in
the water and thought it was herself, and said :
" If I'm so bonny, if I'm so brave, why do you send
me to draw water ?" So she threw down her pail
and went to see if she could wed the sleeping
stranger. And she went to the hen-wife, who
taught her an unspelling charm which would keep
Nix Nought Nothing awake as long as the gardener's
daughter liked. So she went up to the castle and
sang her charm and Nix Nought Nothing was
wakened for awhile and they promised to wed him
to the gardener's daughter. Meanwhile the gardener
went down to draw water from the well and saw
the shadow of the lady in the water. So he looked

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 45

up and found her, and he brought the lady from the
tree, and led her into his house. And he told her
that a stranger was to marry his daughter, and took
her up to the castle and showed her the man : and
it was Nix IsTought Nothing asleep in a chair. And
she saw him, and cried to him : " Waken, waken,
and speak to me !" But he would not waken, and
soon she cried :

" I cleaned the stable, I laved the lake, and I clomb the tree,
And all for the love of thee.
And thou wilt not waken and speak to me. "

The king and the queen heard this, and came to
the bonny young lady, and she said :

" I cannot get Nix Nought Nothing to speak to
me for all that I can do."

Then were they greatly astonished when she
spoke of Nix Nought Nothing, and asked where he
was, and she said : " He that sits there in the chair."
Then they ran to him and kissed him and called him
their own dear son ; so they called for the gardener's
daughter and made her sing her charm, and he
wakened, and told them all that the giant's daughter
had done for him, and of all her kindness. Then
they took her in their arms and kissed her, and said
she should now be their daughter, for their son.
should marry her. But as for the hen wife, she was
put to death. And they lived happy all their days

46 ENGLISH FAI&T TALES

JACK HAKtTAFOKD.

THERE was an old soldier who had been long
in the wars — so long that he was quite out at
elbows, and he did not know where to go to find a
living. So he walked up moors, down glens, til] at
last he came to a farm, from which the good man
had gone away to market. The 'vife of the farmer
was a very foolish woman, who had been a widow
when he married her ; the farmer was foolish enough,
too, and it is hard to say which of the two was the
more foolish. When you've heard my tale you may
decide.

Now before the farmer goes to market says he to
his wife : " Here is ten pounds all in gold, take care
of it till I come home." If the man had not been a
a fool he would never have given the money to his
wife to keep. Well, off he went in his cart to
market, and the wife said to herself : " I will keep
the ten pounds quite safe from thieves ;" so she tied
it up in a rag, and she put the rag up the parlor
chimney.

EKGLISE FAIRY TALES. 47

" There/' said she, " no thieves will ever find it
now, that is quite sure."

Jack Hannaford, the old soldier, came and rapped
at the door.

" Who is there ?" asked the wife..

" Jack Hannaford."

" Where do you come from ?"

" Paradise."

" Lord a' mercy ! and maybe you've seen my old
man there," alluding to her former husband.

"Yes, I have."

" And how was he a-doing ?" asked the goody.

" But middling ; he cobbles old shoes, and he ha»
nothing but cabbage for victuals."

" Deary me '" exclaimed the woman. " Didn't
te send a message to me ?"

" Yes, he did," replied Jack Hannaford. " He
^aid that he was out of leather, and his pockets were
empty, so you were to send him a few shillings to
buy a fresh stock of leather."

" He shall have them, bless his poor soul !" And
away went the wife to the parlor chimney, and she
pulled the rag with the ten pounds in it from the
chimney, and she gave the whole sum to the soldier,
telling him that her old man was to use as much as
he wanted, and to send back the rest.

48 ENGLISH FAIRT TALES.

It was not long that Jack waited after receiving
the money ; he went off as fast as he could walk.

Presently the farmer came home and asked for
his money. The wife told him that she had sent it
by a soldier to her former husband in paradise, to
buy him leather for cobbling the shoes of the saints
and angels of heaven. The farmer was very angry,
and he swore that he had never met with such a
fool as his wife. But the wife said that her bus-
band was a greater fool for letting her have the
money.

There was no time to waste words ; so the farmer
mounted his horse and rode off after Jack Hannaf ord.
The old soldier heard the horse's hoofs clattering on
ihe road behind him, so he knew it must be the
farmer pursuing him. He lay down on the ground,
and shading his eyes with one hand, looked up into
the sky, and pointed heavenward with the other
hand.

" What are you about there ?" asked the farmer,
pulling up.

" Lord save you !" exclaimed Jack : " I've seen a
rare sight."

"What was that?'"

" A man going straight up into the sky, as if he
were walking on a road."

" Can you see him still ?"

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

49

" Yes, I can."

" Where ?"

*' Get off your horse and lie down."

'' If you will hold the horse."

Jack did so readily.

" I cannot see him," said the farmer.

" Shade your eyes with your hand, and you'll
joon see a man flying away from you."

Sure enough he did so, for Jack leaped on the
horse, and rode away with it. The farmer walked
home without his horse.

" You are a bigger fool than I am," said the wife ;
" for I did only one foolish thing, and you have
done two."

j(Uv»vi.-i,v 'U

t -

s> 'i %\\

60 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES,

BIKN'OEIE.

OlSTCE upon a time there were two king's
daughters lived in a bower near the bonny
milldams of Binnorie. And Sir William came woo-
ing the eldest and won her love, and plighted troth
with glove and with ring. But after a time he
looked upon the youngest, with her cherry cheeks
and golden hair, and his love went out to her till he
cared no longer for the eldest one. So she hated
her sister for taking away Sir William's love, and
day by day her hate grew and grew and she plotted
and she planned how to get rid of her.

So one fine morning, fair and clear, she said to
her sister, " Let us go and see our father's boats come
in at the bonny millstream of Binnorie." So they
went there hand in hand. And when they came to
the river's bank the youngest got upon a stone to
watch for the beaching of the boats. And her sis-
ter, coming behind her, caught her round the waist
and dashed her into the rushing millstream of Bin-
norie.

ENGLISH FAIRT TALES. 51

" O sister, sister, reach me your hand !" she cried,
as she floated away, " and you shall have half of all
I've got or shall get."

" No, sister, I'll reach you no hand of mine, for I
am the heir to all your land. Shame on me if I
touch her hand that has come 'twixt me and my
own heart's love."

"O sister, O sister, then reach me your glove!"
she cried, as she floated further away, " and you
shall have your William again."

" Sink on," cried the cruel princess, " no hand or
glove of mine you'll touch. Sweet William will be
all mine when you are sunk beneath the bonny mill-
stream of Binnorie." And she turned and went
home to the king's castle.

And the princess floated down the millstream,
sometimes swimming and sometimes sinking, till she
came near the mill. Now the miller's daughter was
cooking that day, and needed water for her cooking.
And as she went to draw it from the stream she
saw something floating toward the milldam, and
she called out, " Father ! father ! draw your dam.
There's something white — a raerrymaid or a milk-
white swan — coming down the stream." So the
miller hastened to the dam and stopped the heavy
cruel mill-wheels. And then they took out the
princess and laid her on the bank.

58 EN GLISn FAIRY TALES.

Fair and beautiful she looked as she lay there.
In her golden hair were pearls and precious stones ;
you could not see her waist for her golden girdle,
and the golden fringe of her white dress came
down over her lily feet. But she was drowned,
drowned !

And as she lay there in her beauty a famous
harper passed by the mill-dam of Binnorie, and saw
her sweet pale face. And though he traveled on
far away he never forgot that face, and after many
days he came back to the bonny mill-stream of
Binnorie. But then all he could find of her where
they had put her to rest were her bones and her
golden hair. So he made a harp out of her breast
bone and her hair, and traveled on. up the hill from
the milldam of Binnorie, till he came to the castle
of the king her father.

That night they were all gathered in the castle
haU to hear the great harper — king and queen, their
dausrhter and son, Sir William and all their Court.
And first the harper sang to his old harp, making
them joy and be glad, or sorrow and weep just as
he liked. But while he sang he put the harp he
had made that day on a stone in the hall. And
presently it began to sing by itself, low and clear,
and the harper stopped and all were hushed.

And this was what the harp sang :

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 58

*' 0 yonder sits my father, the king,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And yonder sits my mother, the queen;
By the bonny milldams o' Binnorie.

** And yonder stands my brother Hugh,
Binnorie, 0 Binnorie;
And by him, my William, false and true;
By the bonny milldams o' Binnorie."

Then they all wondered, and the harper told them
how he had seen the princess lying drowned on the
bank near the bonny milldams o' Binnorie, and
how he had afterward made this harp out of her
hair and breast-bone. Just then the harp began
singing again, and this was what it sang out loud
and clear :

" And there sits my sister who drowned me
By the bonny milldams o' Binnorie."

And the harp snapped and broke, and never sang
more.

MOUSE AND MOUSEE.

THE Mouse went to visit the Cat, and found hei
sitting behind the hall door, spinning.

Mouse.

"What are you doing, my lady, my lady,
"What are you doing, mv lady ?

ENGLISH FAIRT TALES 55

Cat {sharply).

I'm spinning old breeches, good body, good body,
I'm spinning old breeches, good body.

Mouse.

Long may you wear them, my lady, my lady,
Long may you wear them, my lady.

Cat {gruffly).

I'll wear 'em and tear 'em, good body, good body
I'll wear 'em and tear 'em, good body.

Mouse.

I was sweeping my room, my lady, my lady,
[ was sweeping my room, my lady.

Cat.

The cleaner you'd be, good body, good body
The cleaner you'd be, good body.

Mouse.

T found a silver sixpence, my lady, my lady,
I found a silver sixpence, my lady.

56 ENGLISH FAIRT TALES.

Cat.

The richer you were, good body, good body,
The richer you were, good body.

Mouse.

I went to the market, my lady, my lady,
I went to the market, my lady.

Cat.

The further you went, good body, good body,
The further you went, good body.

MotrsE.

I bought me a pudding, my lady, my lady,
I bought me a pudding, my lady.

Cat {snarling).

The more meat you had, good body, good body
The more meat you had, good body.

Mouse.

I put it in the window to coo], my lady,
I put it in the window to cooL

ENGLISH FAIRT TALES, 57

Cat {sharply).

The faster you'd eat it, good body, good body,
Tlie faster you'd eat it, good body.

Mouse {timidly).

The cat came and ate it, my lady, my lady,
The cat came and ate it, my lady.

Cat {'pouncingly).

And I'll eat you, good body, good body,
And I'll eat you, good body.

{Springs upon the mouse amd kills it)

CAP O' RUSKES.

WELL, there was once a very rich gentleman,
and he'd three daughters, and he thought
ne'd see how fond they were of him. So he says to
the first, " How much do you love me, my dear ?"
" Why," says she, " as I love my life."
" That's good," says he.

So he says to the second, " How much do you
love me, my dear ?"

" "Why," savs she, " better nor all the world."

EiroLlSII FAIRT TALES. 59

" That's good," says he.

So he says to the third, " How much do you lov^
me, my dear ?"

" Why, 1 love you as fresh meat loves salt," says
she.

Well, but he was angry. " You don't love me at
all," says he, " and in my house you stay no more."
So he drove her out there and then, and shut tha
door in her face.

Well, she went away on and on till she came to a
fen, and there she gathered a lot of rushes and made
them into a kind of a sort of a oloak with a hood, to
cover her from head to foot, and to hide her line
clothes. And then she went on and on till she came
to a great house.

" Do you want a maid ?" says she.

" IS'o, we don't," said they.

" I haven't nowhere to go," says she ; " and I ask
no wages, and do any sort of work," says she.

" Well," said they, " if you like to wash the pots
and scrape the saucepans you may stay," said they.

So she stayed there and washed the pots and
scraped the saucepans and did all the dirty work.
And because she gave no name they called her
« Cap o' Eushes."

Well, one day there was to be a great dance a
little way off, and the servants were allowed to go

60 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

and look on at the grand people. Cap o' Rushes
said she was too tired to go, so she stayed at
home.

But when they were gone she offed with her cap
o' rushes, and cleaned herself, and went to the
dance. And no one there was so finely dressed as
she.

"Well, who should be there but her master's son,
and what should he do but fall in love with her the
minute he set eyes on her. lie wouldn't dance with
any one else.

But before the dance was done Cap o' Rushes
slipped off, and away she went home. And when
the other maids came back she was pretending to
be asleep with her cap o' rushes on.

"Well, next morning they said to her, " You did
miss a sight. Cap o' Rushes !"

" "What was that ?" says she.

" "Why, the beautif uUest lady you ever see, dressed
right gay and ga'. The young master, he never
took his eyes off her."

"Well, I should have liked to have seen her,"
says Cap o' Rushes.

" Well, there's to be another dance this evening,
and perhaps she'll be there."

But, come the evening, Cap o' Rushes said she
was too tired to go with them. Howsoever, when

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. (Jl

ihey were gone she offed with her cap o' rushes and
cleaned herself, and away she went to the dance.

The master's son had been reckoning on seeing
her, and he danced with no one else, and never took
his ejes off her. But before the dance was over
she slipped off, and home she went, and when the
maids came back she pretended to be asleep with
her cap o' rushes on.

Next day they said to her again, " "Well, Cap o*
Itushes, you should ha' been there to see the lady.
I.'here she was again, gay and ga', and the young
master he never took his eyes off her."

" Well, there," says she, " I should ha' liked to
ha' seen her."

"Well," says they, "there's a dance again this
evening, and you must go with us, for she's sure to
be there."

Well, come this evening, Cap o' Rushes said she
was too tired to go, and, do what they would, she
stayed at home. But when they were gone she
offed with her cap o' rushes and cleaned herself,
and away she went to the dance.

The master's son was rarely glad when he saw
her. He danced with none but her and never took
his eyes off her. When she wouldn't tell him her
iiame, nor where she came from, he gave her a ring
and told her if he didn't see her again he should dia

^2 ENGLISH tA m r TALES.

Well, before the dance was over, off &h& slipped,
and home she went, and when the maid,* came home
she was pretending to be asleep with her cap o'
rushes on.

Well, next day they says to hev, " There, Cap &
Rushes, you didn't come last flight, and now you
won't see the lady, for there's »vo moro dances."

" Well, I should have i-Stieiy liked to have seen
her," says she.

The master's son, he tried every way to find out
fvhere the lady was gone, but go where he might,
and ask whom he might, he never heard anything
about her. And ha got worse and worse for the
love of her, till he had to keep his bed.

" Make some gruel for the young master," they
said to the cook. " He's dying for the love of the
lady." The cook she set about making it when Cap
o' Rushes came in.

" What are you a-doing of ?" says she.

" I'm go'lng to make some gruel for the young
master,'' says the cook, " for he's dying for love of
the lad7."

" Let nie make it," says Cap o' Rushes.

Well, the cook wouldn't at first, but at last she
said yes, and Cap o' Rushes made the gruel. And
when she had made it she slipped the ring into it on
the sly before the cook took it upstairs.

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 63

The young man he drank it and then he saw the
ring at the bottom.

" Send for the cook," says he.

So up she comes.

'Who made this gruel here?" says he.

" I did," says the cook, for she was frightened.

And he looked at her.

" No, you didn't," says he. " Say who did it, and
you shan't be harmed."

" Well, then, 'twas Cap o' Rushes," says she.

" Send Cap o' Rushes here," says he.

So Cap o' Rushes came.

" Did you make my gruel ?" says he.

" Yes, I did," says she.

" Where did you get this ring ?" says he.

" From him that gave it me," says she.

" Who are you, then ?" says the young man.

" I'll show you," says she. And she oJBfed with
her cap o' rushes, and there she was in her beautiful
clothes.

Well, the master's son he got well very soon, and
they were to be married in a little time. It was to
oe a very grand wedding, and every one was asked
far and near. And Cap o' Rushes' father was
asked. But she never told anybody who she was.

But before the wedding she went to the CiX)k, and
says she ;

64 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

"I want you to dress every dish without a mite o?
salt."

" That'll be rare nasty/' says the cook.

" That doesn't signify," says she.

" Very well/' says the cook.

Well, the wedding-day came, and they were
married. And after they were married all the
company sat down to the dinner. When they be-
gan to eat the meat it was so tasteless they couldn't
eat it. But Cap o' Rushes' father tried first one
dish and then another, and then he burst out
crying.

'* What is the matter ?" said the master's son tc
him.

" Oh !" says he, " I had a daughter. And I asked
her how much she loved me. And she said ' As
much as fresh meat loves salt.' And I turned her
from my door, for I thought she didn't love me.
And now I see she loved me best of aU. And she
may be dead for aught I know."

-* No, father, here she is !" says Cap o' Rushes.
And she goes up to him and puts her arms round
him.

And so they were all happy ever after.

ENGLISH FAIBT TALES. 6S

TEEKT-TmY.

OKCE upon a time there was a teeny-tiny
woman lived in a teeny-tiny house in a
teeny-tiny village. ITow, one day this teeny-tiny
woman put on her teeny-tiny bonnet, and went out
of her teeny-tiny house to take a teeny-tiny walk.
And when this teeny-tiny woman had gone a teeny-
tiny way she came to a teeny-tiny gate; so the
teeny-tiny woman opened the teeny-tiny gate, and
went into a teeny-tiny churchyard. And when this
teeny-tiny woman had got into the teeny-tiny
churchyard, she saw a teeny-tiny bone on a teeny-
tiny grave, and the teeny-tiny woman said to her
teeny -tiny self, "This teeny-tiny bone will make
me some teeny-tiny soup for my teeny-tiny supper."
So the teeny-tiny woman put the teeny-tiny bone
into her teeny-tiny pocket, and went home to her
teeny-tiny house.

Kow when the teeny-tiny woman got home to her
teeny-tiny house she was a teeny-tiny bit tired ; so
she went up her teeny-tiny stairs to her teeny-tiny

66 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

bed, and put the teeny-tiny bone into a teeny-tiny
cupboard. And when this teeny-tiny woman had
been to sleep a teeny-tiny time, she was awakened
by a teeny-tiny voice from the teeny-tiny cupboard,
which said :

" Give me my boneP*

And this teeny-tiny woman was a teeny-tiny
frightened, so she hid her teeny-tiny head under the
teeny-tiny clothes and went to sleep again. And
when she had been to sleep again a teeny-tiny time,
the teeny-tiny voice again cried out from the teeny-
tiny cupboard a teeny-tiny louder.

" GIVE ME MT BONE 1"

This made the teeny-tiny woman a teeny tinj
more frightened, so she hid her teeny-tiny head a
teeny-tiny further under the teeny-tiny clothes.
And when the teeny-tiny woman had been to sleep
again a teeny-tiny time, the teeny-tiny voice from
the teeny-tiny cupboard said again a teeny -tiny
louder.

«' GIVE ME MY BONE !"

And this teeny -tiny woman was a teeny-tiny bit
more frightened, but she put her teeny-tiny head
out of the teeny tiny clothes, and said in her loudest
teeny-tiny voice : " TAKE IT !"

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

THEEE was once upon a time a poor widow
who had an only son named Jack, and a cow
named Milky-white. And all they had to live on
was the milk the cow gave every morning which
they carried to the market and sold. But one
morning Milky-white gave no milk and they didn't
know what to do.

" What shall we do, what shall we do ?" said the
widow, wringing her hands.

" Cheer up, mother, I'll go and get work some-
where," said Jack

"We've tried that before, and nobody would
take you," said his mother ; " we must sell Milky-
white and with the money start shop, or some-
thing."

" All right, mother," says Jack; "it's market-day

68 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

today, and I'll soon sell Milky-white, and then we'll
see what we can do."

So he took the cow's halter in his hand, and ofl
he started. He hadn't gone far when he met a
funny-looking old man who said to him : " Good,
morning, Jack."

" Good-morning to you," said Jack, and wondered
how he knew his name.

" Well, Jack, where are you off to ?" said the man.

"I'm going to market to sell our cow here."

" Oh, you look the proper sort of chap to sell
cows," said the man ; " I wonder if you know how
many beans make five."

" Two in each hand and one in your mouth," says
Jack, as sharp as a needle.

" Eight you are," says the man, " and here the;^
are, the very beans themselves," he went on, pulling
out of his pocket a number of strange-looking beans
" As you are so sharp," says he, " I don't mind doing
a swop with you — your cow for these beans."

" Go along," says Jack ; " wouldn't you like it ?"

" Ah ! you don't know what these beans are," saia
the man ; " if you plant them overnight, by morning
they grow right up to the sky."

" Eeally ?" says Jack ; " you don't say so."

-' Yes, that is so, and if it doesn't turn out to te
true you can have your cow back,"

ENGLISH FAIRY TALEB. 69

** Right," says Jack, and hands him over Milky-
white's halter and pockets the beans.

Back goes Jack home, and as he hadn't gone very
far it wasn't dusk by the time he got to his door.

" Back already. Jack ?" said his mother ; " I see
you haven't got Milky-white, so you've sold her.
How much did you get for her ?"

" You'll never guess, mother," says Jack.

" IS'o, you don't say so. Good boy ! Five pounds,
ten, fifteen, no it can't be twenty."

" I told you you couldn't guess, what do you say
to these beans ; they're magical, plant them over-
night and "

"What!" says Jack's mother, "have you been
such a fool, such a dolt, such an idiot, as to give
away ray Milky-white, the best milker in the parish,
and prime beef to boot, for a set of paltry beans ?
Take that ! Take that ! Take that ! And as for
your precious beans here they go out of the window.
And now off with you to bed. Kot a sup shall you
drink, and not a bit shall you swallow this very
night."

So Jack went upstairs to his little room in the
attic, and sad and sorry he was, to be sure, as much
for his mother's sake as for the loss of his supper.

At last he dropped off to sleep.

"When he woke up, the room looked so funny.

"Q ENGLISH: FAIRY TALES.

The sun was shining into part of it, and yet all the
rest was quite dark and shady. So Jack jumped up
and dressed himself and went to the window. And
what do you think he saw? why, the beans his
mother had thrown out of the window into the
garden had sprung up into a big beanstalk which
went up and up and up till it reached the sky. So
the man spoke truth after all.

The beanstalk grew up quite close past Jack's
window, so all he had to do was to open it and give
a jump on to the beanstalk which ran up just like a
big ladder. So Jack climbed, and he climbed and
he climbed and he climbed and he climbed and he
climbed and he climbed till at last he reached the
sky. And when he got there he found a long broad
road going as straight as a dart. So he walked
along and he walked along and he walked along
till he came to a great big tall house, and on the
doorstep there was a great big tall woman.

" Good-morning, mum," says Jack, quite polite-
like. " Could you be so kind as to give me some
breakfast?" For he hadn't had anything to eat,
you know, the night before and was as hungry as a
hunter.

" It's breakfast you want, is it ?" says the great
big tall woman, " it's breakfast you'll be if you don't
move off from here. My man is an ogre and there's

2SNGLI8H FAIRT TALES. tl

nothing he likes better than boys broiled on toast
You'd better be moving on or he'll soon be
coming."

"• Oh ! please mum, do give me something to eat
mum. I've had nothing to eat since yesterday
morning, really and truly, mum," says Jack, " I
may as well be broiled as die of hunger."

"Well, the ogre's wife was not half so bad after all
So she took Jack into the kitchen, and gave him a
junk of bread and cheese and a jug of milk. But
Jack hadn't half finished these when thump ! thump 1
thump ! the whole house began to tremble with the
noise of some one coming.

" Goodness gracious me ! It's my old man," said
the ogre's wife, " what on earth shall I do ? Come
along quick and jump in here." And she bundled
Jack into the oven just as the ogre came in.

He was a big one, to be sure. At his belt he had
three calves strung up by the heels, and he unhooked
them and threw them down on the table and said :
" Here, wife broil me a couple of these for breakfast.
Ah 1 what's this I smeU ?

Fee-fi-fo-fum,

I smell the blood of an Englishman,

Be he alive, or be he dead

I'll have his bones to grind my brea«L**

73 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

" Konsense, dear," said his wife, " you're dream-
ing. Or perhaps you smell the scraps of that little
boy you liked so much for yesterday's dinner. Here,
you go and have a wash and tidy up, and by the
time you come back your breakfast '11 be ready for
you."

So off the ogre went, and Jack was just going to
jump out of the oven and run away when the
woman told him not. " Wait till he's asleep," says
she ; " he always has a doze after breakfast."

Well, the ogre had his breakfast, and after that
he goes to a big chest and takes out of it a couple of
bags of gold, and down he sits and counts till at last
Ms head began to nod and he began to snore till the
whole house shook again.

Then Jack crept out on tiptoe from his oven, and
as he was passing the ogre he took one of the bags
of gold under his arm, and off he pelters till he
came to the beanstalk, and then he threw down the
bag of gold, which of course fell in to his mother's
garden, and then he climbed down and climbed down
till at last he got home and told his mother and
showed her the gold and said : " Well, mother,
wasn't I right about the beans ? They are really
magical, you see."

So they lived on the bag of gold for some time,
but at last they came to the end of it, and Jack

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 73

made up his mind to try his luck once more up at
the top of the beanstalk. So one fine morning he
rose up early, and got on to the beanstalk, and he
climbed and he climbed and he climbed and he
climbed and he climbed and he climbed till at last
he came out on to the road again and up to the
great big tall house he had been to before. There,
sure enough, was the great big tall woman a-stand-
ing on the doorstep,

"Good-morning, mum," says Jack, as bold as
brass, " could you be so good as to give me some-
thing to eat ?"

" Go away, my boy," said the big tall woman,
"or else my man will eat you up for breakfast.
But aren't you the youngster who came here once
before ? Do you know, that very day my man
missed one of his bags of gold,"

" That's strange, mum," says Jack, " I dare say I
could tell you something about that, but I'm so
hungry I can't speak till I've had something to eat,"

Well, the big tall woman was so curious that she
took him in and gave him something to eat. But
he had scarcely begun munching it as slowly as he
could when thump ! thump ! thump ! they heard
the giant's footstep, and his wife hid Jack away in
the oven,

\11 happened as it did bef<i)re. In came the ogre

'/4 EirOLISH FAIBT TALES.

as he did before, said : " Fee-fi-fo-fum," and had hia
breakfast off three broiled oxen. Then he said :
" Wife, bring me the hen that lays the golden eggs."
So she brought it, and the ogre said : " Lay," and it
laid an egg all of gold. And then the ogre began
to nod his head, and to snore till the house shook.

Then Jack crept out of the oven on tiptoe and
caught hold of the golden hen, and was off before
you could say " Jack Robinson." But this time the
hen gave a cackle which woke the ogre, and just as
Jack got out of the house he heard him calling :
" "Wife, wife, what have you done with my golden
hen ?"

And the wife said : " Why, my dear ?"

But that was all Jack heard, for he rushed off to
the beanstalk and climbed down like a house on fire.
And when he got home he showed his mother the
wonderful hen and said " Lay " to it ; and it laid a
golden Qgg every time he said " Lay."

Well, Jack was not content, and it wasn't very
long before he determined to have another try at
his luck up there at the top of the beanstalk. So
one fine morning he rose up earl}'', ana got on to the
beanstalk, and he climbed and he climbed and he
climbed and he climbed till he got to the top. But
this time he knew better than to go straight to the
ogre's house. And when he got near it he waited

ENGLISH FAIBT TALES. 75

behind a bush till he saw the ogre's wife come out
with a pail to get some water, and then he crept
into the house and got into the copper. He hadn't
been there long when he heard thump! thump?
thump ! as before, and in come the ogre and his
wife.

" Fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell the blood of an English-
man," cried out the ogre; "I smell him, wife, I
smell him."

"Do you, my dearie?'" says the ogre's wife.
" Then if it's that little rogue that stole your gold
and the hen that laid the golden eggs he's sure to
have got into the oven." And they both rushed to
the oven. But Jack wasn't there, luckily, and the
ogre's wife said : " There you are again with your
fee-fi-fo-fum. Why, of course, it's the boy you
caught last night that I've just broiled for your
breakfast. How forgetful I am, and how careless
you are not to know the difference between live
and dead after all these years."

So the ogre sat down to the bceakfast and ate it,
but every now and then he would mutter : " "Well,
I could have sworn — " and he'd get up and
search the larder and the cupboards, and every-
thing, only luckily he didn't think of the copper.

After breakfast was over the ogre called out:
"Wife, wife, bring me my golden harp." So shf

76 ENGLISH FAIRT TALES,

brought it and put it on the table before him. Then
he said : " Sing !" and the golden harp sang most
beautifully. And it went on singing till the ogre
fell asleep and commenced to snore like thunder.

Then Jack lifted up the copper-lid very quietly
and got down like a mouse and crept on hands
and knees till he came to the table, when up he
crawled, caught hold of the golden harp and dashed
with it toward the door. But the harp called out
quite loud : " Master ! Master !" and the ogre woke
up just in time to see Jack running off with his
harp.

Jack ran as fast as he could, and the ogre came
rushing after, and would soon have caught him,
only Jack had a start and dodged him a bit and
knew where he was going. When he got to the
beanstalk the ogre was not more than twenty yards
away, when suddenly he saw Jack disappear like,
and when he came to the end of the road he saw
Jack underneath climbing down for dear life. Well,
the ogre didn't like trusting himself to such a ladder,
and he stood and waited, so Jack got another start.
But just then the harp cried out : " Master ! master !"
and the ogre swung himself down on to the beanstalk,
which shook with his weight. Down climbs Jack,
and after him climbed the ogre. By this time Jack
had climbed down and climbed down and climbed

ENGLISH FAIRT TALES. 77

down till he was very nearly home. So he called out :
" Mother ! mother ! bring me an ax, bring me an
ax." And his mother came rushing out with the
ax in her hand, but when she came to the beanstalk
she stood stock still with fright, for there she saw
the ogre with his legs just through the clouds

But Jack jumped down and got hold of tne ax
and gave a chop at the beanstalk which cut it half
in two. The ogre felt the beanstalk shake and quiver
so he stopped to see what was the matter. Then
Jack gave another chop with the ax, and the bean-
stalk was cut in two and began to topple over.
Then the ogre fell down and broke his crown, and
the beanstalk came toppling after.

Then Jack showed his mother his golden harp,
and what with showing that and selling the golden
eggs. Jack and his mother became very rich, and he
married a great princess, and they lived happy ever
aftor.

THE STORY OF THE THEEE LITTLE PIGS.

Once upon a time when pigs spoke rhyme
And monkeys chewed tobacco,
And hens took snuff to make them tough,
And ducks went quack, quack, quack, 01

THERE was an old sow with three little pigs,
and as she had not enough to keep them, she
sent them out to seek their fortune. The first that
went off met a man with a bundle of straw, and said
to him :

" Please, man, give me that straw to build me a
house. '
Which the man did, and the little pig built a

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 79

house with it. Presently came along a wolf, and
knocked at the door, and said :

^' Little pig, little pig, let me come in."

To which the pig answered :

" No, no, by the hair of my chiny chin chin."

The wolf then answered to that :

"Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your
house in."

So he huffed, and he puffed, and he blew his
house in, and ate up the little pig.

The second little pig met a man with a bundle of
furze, and said :

" Please, man, give me that furze to build a
house."

Which the man did, and the pig built his house.
Then along came the wolf, and said :

" Little pig, little pig, let me come in."

" ISTo, no, by the hair of my chiny chin chin."

" Then I'll puff, and I'll huff, and I'll blow your
house in."

So he huffed, and he puffed, and he puffed, and
he huffed, and at last he blew the house down, and
he ate up the little pig.

The third little pig met a man with a load of
bricks, and said ;

"Please, man, give me those bricks to build a
house with."

80 ENGLI8E FAIRY TALES.

So the man gave him the bricks, and he buUt his
house with them. So the wolf came, as he did to
the other little pigs, and said :

" Little pig, little pig, let me come in."

" No, no, by the hair of my chiny chin chin."

" Then I'll huff, and I'U puff, and I'll blow your
house in."

Well, he huffed, and he puffed, and he huffed, and
he puffed, and he puffed and huffed ; but he could
not get the house down. "When he found that he
could not, with all his huffing and puffing, blow the
house down, he said :

" Little pig, I know where there is a nice field of
turnips."

"Where ?" said the little pig.

" Oh, in Mr. Smith's Home-field, and if you will
be read}'^ to-morrow morning I will call for you, and
we will go together, and get some for dinner."

" Yery well," said the little pig, " I will be ready.
What time do you mean to go ?"

" Oh, at six o'clock."

Well, the little pig got up at five, and got the tur-
nips before the the wolf came (which he did about
six) and who said :

" Little pig, are you ready ?"

The little pig said : " Ready ! I have been and
come back again, and got a nice potful for dinner."

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 81

The wolf felt very angry at this, but thought that
he would be up to the little pig soruehow or other,
so he said :

" Little pig, I know where there is a nice apple-
tree."

" Where ?" said the pig.

" Down at Merry-garden," replied the wolf, " and
if you will not deceive me I will come for you at
five o'clock to-morrow and get some apples."

"Well the little pig bustled up the next morning
at four o'clock, and went off for the apples, he oing
k> get back before the wolf came ; but he had
further to go, and had to climb the tree, so thai just
as he was coming down from it he saw the irolf
coming, which, as you may suppose, frightened him
Tery much. When the wolf came up he said :

" Little pig, what ! are you here before me ? Ar«
they nice apples ?"

" Yes, very," said the little pig. " I will thro);f
you down one."

And he threw it so far, that, while the wolf was
gone to pick it up, the little pig jumped down and
ran home. The next day the wolf came again, and
said to the little pig :

" Little pig, there is a fair at Shanklin this after-
noon, will you go I"

82 ENOLISH FAIRY TALES.

" Oh, yes," said the pig, " I will go ; what time
shall you be ready ?"

" At three," said the wolf. So the little pig went
off before the time as usual, and got to the fair, and
bought a butter-churn, which he was going home
with when he saw the wolf coming. Then he could
not tell what to do. So he got into the churn to
hide, and by so doing turned it round, and it rolled
down the hill with the pig in it, which frightened
the wolf so much that he ran home without going
to the fair. He went to the little pig's house, and
told him how frightened he had been by a great
round thing which came down the hill past him.
Then the little pig said :

" Hah, I frightened you, then. I had been to the
fair and bought a butter churn, and when I saw you
I got into it, and rolled down the hill."

Then the wolf was very angry indeed, and
declared he would eat up the little pig, and that he
would get down the chimney after him. When the
little pig saw what he was about, he hung on the
pot full of water, and made up a blazing fire, and,
just as the wolf was coming down, took off the cover,
and in fell the wolf ; so the little pig put on the
cover again in an instant, boiled him up, and ate
him for supper, and lived happy ever afterward.

THE MASTER AND HIS PUPIL.

THERE was once a very learned man in the
north-country who knew all the languages
under the sun, and who was acquainted with all the
mysteries of creation. He had one big book bound
in black calf and clasped with iron, and with iron
corners, and chained to a table which was made fast
to the floor ; and when he read out of this book, he

84 ENGLISH FAIBT TALES.

unlocked it with an iron key, and none but he read
from it, for it contained all the secrets of the
spiritual world. It told how many angels there
were in heaven, and how they marched in their
ranks, and sang in their choirs, and what were their
several functions, and what was the name of each
great angel of might. And it told of the demons,
how many of them there were, and what were their
several powers, and their labors, and their names,
and how they might be summoned, and how tasks
might be imposed on them, and how they might be
chained to be as slaves to man.

Now the master had a pupil who was but a fool-
ish lad and he acted as servant to the great master,
but never was he suffered to look into the black
book, hardly to enter the private room.

One day the master was out, and then the lad, as
curious as could be, hurried to the chamber where
his master kept his wondrous apparatus for
changing copper into gold, and lead into silver, and
where was his mirror in which he could see all that
was passing in the world, and where was the shell
which when held to the ear whispered all the words
that were being spoken by any one the master
desired to know about. The lad tried in vain with
the crucibles to turn copper and lead into gold and
silver — he looked long and vainly into the mirror i

ENGLISH FAIR T TALES. 85

smoke and clouds passed over it, but he saw nothing
plain, and the shell to his ear produced only indis-
tinct murraurings, like the breaking of distant seas
on an unknown shore. " I can do nothing," he
said ; " as I don't know the right words to utter,
and they are locked up in yon book." He looked
round, and, see ! the book was unfastened ; the
master had forgotten to lock it before he went out.
The boy rushed to it, and unclosed the volume. It
was written with red and black ink, and much of it
he could not understand ; but he put his finger on a
line and spelled it through.

At once the room was darkened, and the house
trembled ; a clap of thunder rolled through the pas-
sage and the old room, and there stood before him a
horrible, horrible form, breathing fire, and with
eyes like burning lamps. It was the demon Beel-
zebub, whom he had called up to serve him.

" Set me a task 1" said he, with a voice like the
roaring of an iron furnace.

The boy only trembled, and his hair stood up.

" Set me a task, or I shall strangle thee !"

But the lad could not speak. Then the evil spirit
stepped toward him, and putting forth his hands
touched his throat. The fingers burned his flesh
"Set me a task!"

'"Water yon flower," cried the boy in despair,

g5 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

pointing to a geranium which stood in a pot on the
floor.

Instantly the spirit left the room, but in another
instant he returned with a barrel on his back, and
poured its contents over the flower ; and again and
again he went and came, and poured more and more
water, till the floor of the room was ankle-deep.

"Enough, enough!" gasped the lad; but the
demon heeded him not; the lad didn't know the
words by which to send him away, and still he
fetched water.

It rose to the boy's knees and still more water
was poured. It mounted to his waist, and Beel-
zebub still kept on bringing barrels full. It rose to
his armpits, and he scrambled to the table-top. And
now the water in the room stood up to the window
and washed against the glass, and swirled around
his feet on the table. It stiU. rose ; it reached his
breast. In vain he cried ; the evil spirit would not
be dismissed and to this day he would have been
pouring water, and would have drowned all York-
shire. But the master remembered on his journey
that he had not locked his book, and therefore
returned, and at the moment when the water was
bubbling about the pupil's chin rushed into the room
and spoke the words which cast Beelzebub back into
his fiery home.

2^^^

TITTY MOUSE AND TATTY MOUSE.

'I^ITTY MOUSE and Tatty Mouse both lived
_L in a house,

Titty Mouse went a-leasing and Tatty
Mouse went a-leasing,
So they both went a-leasing.
Titty Mouse leased an ear of corn, and Tatty Mouse
leased an ear of corn,
So they both leased an ear of corn.
Titty Mouse made a pudding, and Tatty Mouse
made a pudding.
So they both made a pudding.
And Tatty Mouse put her pudding into the pot to

boil.
But when Titty went to put hers in, the pot tumbled
over, and scalded her to death.

Then Tatty sat down and wept ; then a three-
legged stool said : " Tatty, why do you weep ?"
"Titty's dead," said Tatty, "and so I weep;"
*'then," said the stool, "I'll hop," so the stool
topped.

88

ENGLISH FAIR Y TAL ES.

Then a broom in the corner of the room said '.
« Stool, why do you hop ?" " Oh !" said the stool,
" Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps, and so I hop ;"
" then," said the broom, " I'll sweep," so the broom
began to sweep,

" Then," said the door, " Broom, why do you
sweep?" "Oh!" said the broom, "Titty's dead,
and Tatty weeps, and the stool
hops, and so I sweep ;" "' then," said
the door, "I'll jar," so the door
jarred.

" Then," said the window, " Door,
why do you jar ?" " Oh !" said the
door, "Titty's dead, and Tatty
weeps, and the stool hops, and the broom sweeps
and so I jar,"

" Then," said the window, " I'll creak," so the
window creaked. Kow there was an old form out-
side the house, and when the window creaked the
form said : " Window, why do you creak ?" " Oh !"
said the window, " Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps,
and the stool hops, and the broom sweeps, the door
jars, and so I creak."

" Then," said the old form, " I'll run round the
house ;" then the old form ran round the house.
Now there was a fine, large walnut-tree growing by
the cottage, and the tree said to the form : " Form,

ENGLISH FAIR Y TAL ES. 89

why do you run round the house ?" " Oh !" said
the form, " Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps, and the
stool hops, and the broom sweeps, the door jars, and
the window creaks, and so I run round the house."
" Then," said the walnut-tree, " I'll shed my
leaves," so the wal-
nut-tree shed all
its beautiful green
leaves. Now there
was a little bird
perched on one of
the boughs of the tree, and when all the
leaves fell it said : '' Walnut-tree, why do you shed
your leaves ?" " Oh !" said the tree, " Titty's dead,
and Tatty weeps, the stool hops, and the broom
sweeps, the door jars, and the window creaks, the
old form runs round the house, and so I
shed my leaves."

"Then," said the little bird, "I'll
moult aU my feathers," so he moulted
all his pretty feathers. Now there was a
little girl walking below, carrying a jug of
milk for her brothers and sisters' supper,
and when she saw the poor little bird moult all its
feathers she said : " Little bird, why do you moult
all your feathers ?" " Oh !" said the lit de bird,
" Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps, the stool hops, and

90

ElfGlflSH FAIRY TALES.

the broom sweeps, the door jars, and the window
creaks, the old form runs round the house, the wal-
nut-tree sheds its leaves, and so I moult all my
feathers."

"Then," said the little girl, "I'll spill the milk,"
so she dropped the pitcher and
spilled the milk. ]S'ow there was
an old man just by on the top of a
ladder, thatching a rick, and when
he saw the little girl spill the milk
he said : " Little girl, what do you
mean by spilling the milk? Youi
little brothers and sisters must go
without their supper." Then said the little girl;
" Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps,
the stool hops, and the broom
sweeps, the door jars, and the
window creaks, the old form runs
round the house, the walnut-tree
sheds all its leaves, the little bird
moults all its feathers, and so I
spill the milk."

"Oh!" said the old man, "then
I'll tumble off the ladder and
break my neck," so he tumbled off the ladder and
broke his neck, and when the old man broke his
neck the great walnut-tree fell down with a crash

ENGLISH FAIBY TALB8. 91

and upset the old form and house, and the house
falling knocked the window out, and the window
knocked the door down, and the door upset the
broom, and the broom upset the stool, and poor
littlo Tatty Mouse was buried beneath the ruins.

93 ENGLISH FAIRT TALES.

JACK AND HIS GOLDEN SNUFF-BOX

ONCE upon a time, and a very good time it
was though it <vas neither in my time nor
in your time nor in any one else's time, there was
an old man and an old woman, and they had one
son, and they lived in a great forest. And their
son never saw any other people in his life, but he
knew that there were some more in the world b^
sides his own father and mother, because he had
lots of books, and he used to read every day about
them. And when he read about charming
princesses, he would go wild to see some of them ;
till one day, when his father was out cutting wood,
he told his mother that he wished to go away to
look for his living in some other country, and to
see some other people besides them two. And he
said, " I see nothing at all here but great trees
around me ; and if I stay here, maybe I shall go
mad before I see anything." The young man's
father was out all the time when this talk was going
on between him and his poor old mother,

ENGLISH FAIRT TALES, 93

The old woman began by saying to her son before
leaving, " Well, well, my poor boy, if you want to
go, it's better for you to go, and God be with you.''
— (The old woman thought for the best when she
said that.) — " But stop a bit before you go. Which
would you like best for me to make you, a little
cake and bless you, or a big cake and curse you ?"
" Dear, dear !" said he, " make me a big cake. May-
be I shall be hungry on the road." The old woman
made the big cake, and she went on top of the house,
and she cursed him as far as she could see him.

He presently met with his father, and the old
man said to him : " Where are you going, my poor
boy ?" when the son told the father the same tale as
he told his mother. " Well," said his father, " I'm
sorry to see you going away, but if you've made
up your mind to go, it's better for you to go."

The poor lad had not gone far when his father
called him back ; then the old man drew out of his
pocket a golden snuff-box, and said to him : " Here,
take this little box, and put it in your pocket, and
be sure not to open it till you are near your death."
And away went poor Jack upon his road, and
walked till he was tired and hungry, for he had
eaten all his cake upon the road ; and by this time
night was upon him, so he could hardly see his way
before him. He could see some light a long way

94 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

before him, and he made up to it, and found the
back door and knocked at it, till one of the maid-
servants came and asked him what he wanted. He
^aid that night was on him, and he wanted to get
some place to sleep The maid-servant called him
in to the fire, and gave him plenty to eat, good
meat and bread and beer ; and as he was eating his
food by the fire, there came the young lady to look
at him, and she loved him well and he loved her.
And the young lady ran to tell her father, and said
there was a pretty young man in the back kitchen ;
and immediately the gentleman came to him, and
questioned him, and asked what work he could do.
Jack said, the silly fellow, that he could do any-
thing. (He meant that he could do any foolish bit
of work that would be wanted about the house.)

" Well," says the gentleman to him, " if you can
do anything, at eight o'clock in the morning I must
have a great lake and some of the largest man-of-
war vessels sailing before my mansion, and one of
the largest vessels must fire a royal salute, and the
last round must break the leg of the bed where my
young daughter is sleeping. And if you don't do
that you will have to forfeit your life."

" All right,'" said Jack; and away he went to his
bed, and said his prayers quietly, and slept till it
was near eight o'clock, and he had hardly any time

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 95

to think what he was to do, till all of a sudden he
remembered about the little golden box that his
father gave him. And he said to himself : " Well^
well, I never was so near my death as I am now ;"
and then he felt in his pocket, and drew the little
box out. And when he opened it out there hopped
three little red men, and asked Jack: "What is
your will with us ?" " Well," said Jack, " I want a
great lake and some of the largest man-of-war
vessels in the world before this mansion, and one of
the largest vessels to fire a royal salute, and the last
round to break one of the legs of the bed where this
young lady is sleeping." "All right," said the
little men ; " go to sleep."

Jack had hardly time to bring the words out of
his mouth, to tell the little men what to do, but
what it struck eight o'clock, when bang, bang, went
one of the largest man-of-war vessels ; and it made
Jack jump out of bed to look through the window ;
and I can assure you it was a wonderful sight for
Lim to see, after being so long with his father and
mother living in a wood.

By this time Jack dressed himself, and said his
prayers, and came down laughing ; for he was proud,
he was, because the thing was done so well. The
gentleman comes to him, and says to him : " Well,
my young man, I must say that you are very clever

86 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

indeed. Come and have some breakfast." And the
gentleman tells him, " Now there are two more
things you have to do, and then you shall have my

daughter in marriage." Jack took his breakfast,
and had a good look at the young lady, and also she
at him.

The other thing that the gentleman told him to do
■was to fell all the great trees for miles around by
eight o'clock in the morning ; and, to make my long
story short, it was done, and it pleased the gentle-
man well. The gentleman said to him : " The othei

ENOLISH FAIRY TALES. 97

thing you have to do" — (and it was the last thing)
— " you must get me a great castle standing on
twelve golden pillars ; and there must come regi-
ments of soldiers and go through their drill. At
eight o'clock the commanding officer must say,
* Shoulder up.' " " All right," said Jack ; when the
third and last morning came the third great feat
was finished, and he had the young daughter in
marriage. But, oh, dear ! there was worse to come
yet.

The gentleman now made a large hunting party,
and invites all the gentlemen around the country to
it, and to see the castle as well. And by this time
Jack had a beautiful horse and a scarlet dress to go
with them. On that morning his valet, when put
ting Jack's clothes by, after changing them to go a
hunting, put his hand in one of Jack's waistcoat-
pockets, and pulled out the little golden snuff-box
poor Jack had left behind by mistake. And that
man opened the little box, and there hopped out the
three little red men, and asked him what he wanted
with them. "Well," said the valet to them, "I
want this castle to be moved from this place far and
far across the sea." " All right," said the little red
men to him ; "do you wish to go with it ?" " Yes,'*
said he. "Well, get up," said they to him; and
away they went far and far over the great sea.

98 ENGLISH FAntr TAL-fHS.

Now the grand hunting party came back, and the
castle upon the twelve golden pillars had disap
peared, to the great disappointment of those gentle*
men who did not see it before. Poor silly Jack was
threatened to have his beautiful young wife ta.ken
from him, for deceiving them as he did. But the
gentlemen at last made an agreement with him, and
he was to have a twelve months and a day to look
for it ; and off he went with a good horse and money
in his pocket.

So off poor Jack starts in search of his missing
castle, over hills, dales, valleys, and mountains,
through woolly woods and sheepwalks, further than
I can tell you or ever intend to tell you. Until at
last he comes up to the place where lives the King
of all the little mice in the world. There was one
of the little mice on sentry at the front gate going
up to the palace, and he did try to stop Jack from
going in. Jack asked the little mouse: "Where
does the King live? I should like to see him."
This one sent another with him to show him the
place ; and when the King saw him, he called him
in. And the King questioned him, and asked him
where he was going that way. Well, Jack told him
all the truth, that he had lost the great castle, and
was going to look for it, and he had a whole twelve
months and a day to find it out. And Jack asked

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 99

him whether he knew anything about it ; and the
King said : " No, but I am the King of all the little
mice in the world, and I will call them all up in the
morning, and maybe they have seen something of
it."

Then Jack got a good meal and bed, and in the
morning he and the King went on to the fields ; and
the King called all the mice together, and asked
them whether they had seen the great beautiful
castle standing on golden pillars. And all the little
mice said, No, there was none of them had seen it.
The old King said to him that he had two other
brothers : '' One is the King of all the frogs ; and
my other brother, who is the oldest, he is the King
of all the birds in the world. And if you go there,
may be they know something about the missing
castle." The King said to him : " Leave your horse
here with me till you come back, and take one of
my best horses under you, and give this cake to my
brother ; he will know then who you got it from.
Mind and tell him I am well, and should like dearly
to see him.'- And then the King and Jack shook
hands together.

And when Jack was going through the gates
the little mouse asked him, should he go with him ;
and Jack said to him : " No, I shall get myself
into trouble with the King." And the little thing

100 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

told him : " It will be better for you to let me go
with you ; maybe I shall do some good to you some
time without you knowing it." "Jump up, then."
And the little mouse ran up the horse's leg, and
made it dance ; and Jack put the mouse in his
pocket,

E"ow Jack, after wishing good morning to the
King and pocketing the little mouse which was on
sentry, trudged on his way ; and such a long way
he had to go and this was his first day. At last he
found the place ; and there was one of the frogs on
sentry, and gun upon his shoulder, and he did try
to hinder Jack from going in ; but when Jack said to
him that he wanted to see the King, he allowed him
to pass ; and Jack made up to the door. The King
came out, and asked him his business ; and Jack
told him all from beginning to end. " Well, well,
come in." He got good entertainment that night;
and in the morning the King made such a funny
sound; and collected all the frogs in the world.
And he asked them, did they know or see anything
of a castle that stood upon twelve golden pillars ;
and they all made a curious sound, Kro-kro, hro-hro,
and said, No.

Jack had to take another horse, and a cake to this
King's brother, who is the King of all the fowls of
the air ; and as Jack was going through the gateSj

BlNGLISH FAIRl TALES. IQI

the little frog that was on sentry asked him should
he go with him. Jack refused him for a bit ; but
at last he told him to jump up, and Jack put him in
his other waistcoat pocket. And away he went
ag-ain on his great long journey ; it was three times
as long this time as it was the first day ; however,
he found the place, and there was a fine bird on
sentry. And Jack passed him, and he never said
a word to him ; and he talked with the King, and
told him everything, all about the castle. " Well,"
said the King to him, " you shall know in the morn-
ing from my birds whether they know anything or
not." Jack put up his horse in the stable, and then
went to bed, after having something to eat. And
when he got up in the morning the King and he
went on to the fields, and there the King made some
funny noise, and there came all the fowls that were
in all the world. And the King asked them : " Did
they see the fine castle ?" and all the birds answered,
No. " Well," said the King, " Where is the great
bird ?" They had to wait then for a long time for
the eagle to make his appearance, when at last he
came all in a perspiration, after two little birds had
been sent high up in the sky to whistle on him to
make all the haste he possibly could. The King
asked the great bird, Did he see the great castle ?
and the bird said : " Yes. I came from there where

103 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

it now is." "Well," said the King to him, "this
joung gentleman has lost it, and jou must go with
him back to it ; but stop till you get a bit of some-
thing to eat first."

They killed a calf, and sent the best part of it to
feed the eagle on his journey over the seas, and he
had to carry Jack on his back. Now when they
came in sight of the castle, they did not know what
to do to get the little golden box. Well, the little
mouse said to them : " Leave me down, and I wiU
get the little box for you." So the mouse stole into
the castle, and got hold of the box ; and when he
was coming down the stairs it fell down, and he
was very near being caught. He came running out
with it, laughing his best. " Have you got it ?''
Jack said to him ; he said " Yes ;" and off they
went back again, and left the castle behind.

As they were all of them (Jack, mouse, frog, and
eagle) passing over the great sea, they fell to quarrel-
ing about which it was that got the little box, till
down it slipped into the water. (It was by their
looking at it and handing it from one hand to the
other that they dropped the little box to the bottom
of the sea.) " Well, well," said the frog, ''I knew
that I would have to do something, so you had
better let me go down in the water." And they
let him go, and he was down for three days

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 103

and three nights; and up he comes, and shows
his nose and little mouth out of the water ; and all
of them asked him, Did he get it ? and he told them,
No. " Well, what are you doing there, then ?"
"Nothing at all," he said, "only I want my full
breath ;" and the poor little frog went down the
second time, and he was down for a day and a night,
and up he brings it.

And away they did go, after being there four
days and nights ; and after a long tug overseas and
mountains, arrived at the palace of the old King,
who is the master of all the birds in the world.
And the King was very proud to see them, and had
a hearty welcome and a long conversation. Jack
opened the little box, and told the little men to go
back and to bring the castle here to them ; " and ail
of you make as much haste back again as you
possibly can."

The three little men went off ; and when they
came near the castle they were afraid to go to it till
the gentleman and lady and all the servants were
gone out to some dance. And there was no one left
behind there, only the cook and another maid with
her ; and the little red men asked them which would
they rather — go, or stop behind? and they both
said : " I will go with you ;" and the little men told
^sbem to run upstairs quick. They were no sooner

104 ENQfJ^ISH FATRT TALES.

Up and in one of the drawing-rooms than there came
jUst in sight the gentleman and lady and all the
Servants ; but it was too late. Off the castle went
at full speed, with the women laughing at them
through the window, while they made motions for
them to stop, but all to no purpose.

They were nine days on their journey, in which
they did try to keep the Sunday holy, when one of
the little men turned to be the priest, the other the
clerk, and the third preside at the organ, and the
women were the singers, for they had a grand
chapel in the castle already. Strange to say, there
was a discord made in the music, and one of the
little men ran up one of the organ-pipes to see
where the bad sound came from, when he found out
it only happened to be that the two women were
laughing at the little red man stretching his little
legs full length on the bass pipes, also his two arms
the same time, with his little red nightcap, which
he never furgot to wear, a sight they never wit-
nessed before, and which could not help making
them laugh long and loud and heartily. And, poor
things ! through their not going on with what they
begun they very near came to danger, as the castle
was once all but sinking in the middle of the sea.

At length, after a merry journey, they came again
to Jack and the King. The King was quite struck

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES 105

with the sight of the castle, and, gomg up the golden
stairs, went to see the inside.

The King was very much pleased with the castle,
but poor Jack's time of a twelvemonths and a day
was drawing to a close ; and he, wishing to go home
to his young wife, gave orders to the three little
men to get ready by the next morning at eight
o'clock to be off to the next brother, and to stop
there for one night ; also to proceed from there to
the last or the youngest brother, the master of all
the mice in the world, in such place where the castle
should be left under his care until it's sent for.
Jack took a farewell of the King, thanking him
very much for his hospitality.

Away went Jack and his castle again, and stopped
one night in that place ; and away they went again
to the third King, and there left the castle under
his care. As Jack had to leave the castle behind
he had to take to his own horse, which he left
there when he first started.

So our poor Jack leaves his castle behind and
faces toward home ; and after having so much mer
riment with the three brothers every night. Jack
became sleepy on horseback, and would have lost
the road if it was not for the little men a-guiding
him. At last he arrived, weary and tired, and they
did not seem to receive him with any kindness

106 ENOLISn FAIRY TALES.

whatever, because he had not found the stolen
castle ; and to make it worse, he was disappointed
in not seeing his young and beautiful wife come
out and meet him, hindered as she was by her
parents. But that did not stop long. Jack put full
power on and set off with the little men to bring on
the castle, and they soon got there.

Jack shook hands with the King, and returned
many thanks for his kingly kindness in minding the
castle for him ; and then Jack instructed the little
men to spur up and put speed on. And off fcbey
went, and were not long before they reached their
journey's end, when out comes the young wife to
meet him with a fine, jolly, bonny young Son, and
they all lived happy ever afterward.

THE STOEY OF THE THEEE BEARS.

ONCE upon a time t!iere were Three Bears,
who lived together in a house of their own,
in a wood. One of them was a Little, Small, Wee
Bear; and one was a Middle-sized Bear, and the
other was a Great, Huge Bear. They had each a
pot for their porridge, a little pot for the Little,
Small, Wee Bear; and a middle-sized pot for the
Middle Bear, and a great pot for the Great, Huge
Bear. And they had each a chair to sit in ; a little
chair for the Little, Small, Wee Bear ; and a middle-
sized chair for the Middle Bear ; and a great chair
for the Great, Huge Bear. And they had each a
bed to sleep in ; a little bed for the Little, Small,
Wee Bear ; and a middle-sized bed for the Middle
Bear ; and a great bed for the Great, Huge Bear.

One day, after they had made the porridge for
their breakfast, and poured it into their porridge-
pots, they walked out into the w ,od while the
porridge was cooling, that they might not burn

108 ENGLISH FAIR Y TALES.

their mouths, by beginning too soon to eat it. And
while they were walking a little old Woman came
to the house. She could not have been a good,
honest old Woman ; for first she looked in at the
window, and then she peeped in at the keyhole ;
and seeing nobody in the house, she lifted the latch.
The door was not fastened, because the Bears were
good Bears, who did nobody any harm, and never
suspected that anybody would harm them. So the
little old Woman opened the door, and went in ;
and well pleased she was when she saw the porridge
on the table. If she had been a good little old
Woman, she would have waited till the Bears came
home, and then, perhaps, they would have asked her
to breakfast; for they were good Bears — a little
rough or so, as the manner of Bears is, but for all
that very good-natured and hospitable. But she
was an impudent, bad old Woman, and set about
helping herself.

So first she tasted the porridge of the Great, Huge
fiear, and that was too hot for her ; and she said a
bad word about that. And then she tasted the
porridge of the Middle Bear, and that was too cold
for her ; and she said a bad word about that too.
And then she went to the porridge of the Little,
Small, Wee L 3ar, and tasted that ; and that was
neither too hot, nor too cold, but just right ; and

ENGLISH FAIRT TALES. 109

she liked it so well that she ate it all up : but the
naughty old Woman said a bad word about the
(little porridge-pot, because it did not hold enough
for her.

Then the little old Woman sate down in the chair
of the Great, Huge Bear, and that was too hard for
her. And then she sate down in the chair of the
Middle Bear, and that was too soft for her. And
then she sate down in the chair of the Little, Small,
Wee Bear, and that was neither too hard, nor too
soft, but just right. So she seated herself in it, and
there she sate till the bottom of the chair came out,
and down she came, plump upon the ground. And
the naughty old Woman said a wicked word about
that too.

Then the little old Woman went upstairs into the
bedchamber in which the three Bears slept. And
first she lay down upon the bed of the Great, Huge
Bear ; but that was too high at the head for her.
And next she lay down upon the bed of the Middle
Bear ; and that was too high at the foot for her.
And then she lay down upon the bed of the Little,
SmaU, Wee Bear ; and that was neither too high at
the head, nor at the foot, but just right. So she
covered herself up comfortably, and lay there tiU
she fell fast asleep.

By this time the Three Bears thought their por-

110 ENGLISH FAIRT TALES.

ridge Avould be cool enough ; so they came home to
breakfast. Now the little old Woman had left the
spoon of the Great, Huge Bear standing in his por-
ridge.

"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN AT MY POE-
KIDGE !"

said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruflE
voice. And when the Middle Bear looked at his, he
saw that the spoon was standing in it too. They
were wooden spoons ; if they had been silver ones
the naughty old "Woman would have put them in
her pocket.

" SOMEBODY HAS BEEN AT MY POEBIDGE !"

said the Middle Bear in his middle voice.

Then the Little, Small, Wee Bear looked at his,
and there was the spoon in the porridge-pot, but the
porridge was all gone.

" Somebody has been at my porridge^ a/nd has eaten ii
aUupr

said the Little, Small, Wee Bear in his little, smali,
wee voice.

Upon this the Three Bears, seeing that some one
had entered their house, and eaten up the Little,

ENGLISH FAIRT TALES. HI

Small, Wee Bear's breakfast, began to look about
them. Now the little old Woman had not put the
hard cushion straight when she rose from the chair
of the Great, Huge Bear.

"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY
CHAIR !"

said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruff
voice.

And the little old Woman had squatted down the
soft cushion of the Middle Bear.

" SOMEBODY HAS BEEN SITTING IK MY CHAIE I"

said the Middle Bear, in his middle voice.

And you know what the little old Woman had
done to the third chair.

" Somebody has heen sitting in my chai/r and has sate
the hottom out of it /"

said the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little, smaL,
wee voice.

Then the Three Bears thought it necessary that
they should make further search ; so they went up-
stairs into their bedchamber. Now the little old
Woman had pulled the pillow of the Great, Huge
Bear out of its place.

112 ENGLISH FATRY TALES,

" SOMEBODY HAS BEEN LYING IN MY BED!"

said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruff
voice.

And the little old "Woman had pulled the bolstei
of the Middle Bear out of its place.

SOMEBODY HAS BEEN LYING IN MY BED

t"

said the Middle Bear, in his middle voice.

And when the Little, Small, Wee Bear came to
look at his bed, there was the bolster in its place ;
and the pillow in its place upon the bolster ; and
upon the pillow was the little old Woman's ugly,
dirty head, which was not in its place, for she had
no business there.

" Somebody has heen lying in my bed, and here she is P''

said the Little, Small, "Wee Bear, in his little, small,
wee voice.

The little old Woman had heard in her sleep the
great, rough, gruff voice of the Great, Huge Bear ;
but she was so fast asleep that it was no more to
her than the roaring of wind, or the rumbling of
thunder. And she had heard the middle voice of
the Middle Bear, but it was only as if she had heard
some one speaking in a dream. But when she
heard the little, small, wee voice of the Little, Small,

£NQLISn FAlilY TALES. 113

Wee Bear, it was so sharp, and so shrill, that it
awakened her at once. Up she started, and when
she saw the Three Bears on one side of the bed, she
tumbled herself out at the other, and ran to the
window. Now the window was open, because the
Bears, like good, tidy Bears, as they were, always
opened their bedchamber window when they got
up in the morning. Out the little old "Woman
jumped; and whether she broke her neck in the
fall ; or ran into the wood and was lost there ; or
found her way out of the wood, and was taken up
by the constable and sent to the House of Correction
for a vagrant as she was, I cannot tell. But the
Three Bears never saw anything more of her.

JACK THE GIAKT-KILLER.

WHEN good King Arthur reigned, there lived
near the Land's End of England, in the
county of Cornwall, a farmer who had one only
son called Jack. He was brisk and of a ready,
lively wit, so that nobody or nothing could worst
him.

In those days the Mount of Cornwall was kept by
a huge giant named Cormoran. He was eighteen
feet in height, and about three yards round the
waist, of a fierce and grim countenance, the terror
of all the neighboring towns and villages. He lived
in a cave in the midst of the Mount, and whenever
he wanted food he would wade over to the main-
land, where he would furnish himself with whatever
came in his way. Everybody at his approach ran
out of their houses, while he seized on their cattle,

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 115

making nothing of carrying half-a-dozen oxen on
his back at a time ; and as for their sheep and hogs,
he would tie them round his waist like a bunch of
tallow-dips. He had done this for many years, so
that all Cornwall was in despair.

One day Jack happened to be at the town-haii
when the magistrates were sitting in council about
the Giant. He asked : " What reward will be given
to the man who kills Cormoran ?" " The giant's
treasure," they said, " will be the reward," Quoth
Jack : " Then let me undertake it."

So he got a horn, shovel, and pickax, and went
over to the Mount in the beginning of a dark winter's
evening, when he fell to work, and before morning
had dug a pit twenty-two feet deep, and nearly as
broad, covering it over with long sticks and straw.
Then he strewed a little mould over it, so that it
appeared like plain ground. Jack then placed him-
self on the opposite side of the pit, furthest from the
giant's lodging, and just at the break of day he put
the horn to his mouth, and blew. Tantivy, Tantivy.
This noise roused the giant, who rushed from his
cave, crying : " You incorrigible villain, are you
come here to disturb my rest ? You shall pay
dearly for this. Satisfaction I will have, and this it
shall be, I will take you whole and broil you for
breakfast." He had ao sooner uttered this than he

116 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES,

tumbled into the pit, and made the very foundations
of the Mount to shake. " Oh, Giant," quoth Jack,
" where are you now ? Oh, faith, you are gotten
now into Lob's Pound, where I will surely plague
you for your threatening words : what do you think
now of broiling me for your breakfast ? "Will no
other diet serve you but poor Jack ?" Then having
tantalized the giant for awhile, he gave him a most
weighty knock with his pickax on the very crown
of his head, and killed him on the spot.

Jack then filled up the pit with earth, and went
to search the cave, which he found contained much
treasure. "When the magistrates heard of this they
made a declaration he should henceforth be termed

JACK THE GIANT-KILLER,

and presented him with a sword and a belt, on which

were written these words embroidered in letters of
gold:

" Here's the right valiant Cornish man,
"Who slew the giant Cormoran."

The news of Jack's victory soon spread over all
the "West of England, so that another giant, named
Blunder-bore, hearing of it, vowed to be revenged
on Jack^ if ever he should light on him. This giant
Was the lord of an enchanted castle situated in the

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. II7

midst of a lonesome wood. I^ow Jack, about four
months afterward, walking near this wood in his
journey to Wales, being weary, seated himself near
a pleasant fountain and fell fast asleep. While he
was sleeping the giant, coming there for water, dis-
covered him, and knew him to be the far-famed
Jack the Giant-killer by the lines written on the
belt. Without ado, he took Jack on his shoulders
and carried him toward his castle. ISTow, as they
passed through a thicket, the rustling of the boughs
awakened Jack, who was strangely surprised to find
himself in the clutches of the giant. His terror was
only begun, for, on entering the castle, he saw the
ground strewed with human bones, and the giant
told him his own would ere long be among them.
After this the giant locked poor Jack in an immense
chamber, leaving him there while he went to fetch
another giant, his brother, living in the same wood,
who might share in the meal on Jack.

After waiting some time Jack, on going to the
window, beheld afar off the two giants coming
toward the castle. " Now," quoth Jack to himself,
" my death or my deliverance is at hand." Now,
there were strong cords in a corner of the room in
which Jack was, and two of these he took, and
made a strong noose at the end ; and while the
giants were unlocking the iron gate of the castle hp

118 ENGLISH FAIRT TALES,

threw the ropes over each of their heads. Then he
drew the other ends across a beam, and pulled with
all his might, so that he throttled them. Then,
when he saw they were black in the face, he slid
down the rope, and drawing his sword, slew them
both. Then, taking the giant's keys, and unlocking
the rooms, he found three fair ladies tied by the
hair of their heads, almost starved to death. " Sweet
ladies," quoth Jack, " I have destroyed this monster
and his brutish brother, and obtained your liberties."
This said, he presented them with the keys, and so
proceeded on his journey to Wales.

Jack made the best of his way by traveling as
fast as he could, but lost his road, and was benighted,
and could find no habitation until, coming into a
narrow valley, he found a large house, and in order
to get shelter took courage to knock at the gate.
But what was his surprise when there came forth a
monstrous giant with two heads ; yet he did not
appear so fiery as the others were, for he was a
Welsh giant, and what he did was by private and
secret malice under the false show of friendship.
Jack, having told his condition to the giant, was
shown into a bedroom, where, in the dead of night,
he heard his host in another apartment muttering
these words :

ENGLISH FAIRT TALES. 119

" Though here you lodge with me this night,
You shall not see the morning light :
My club shall dash your brains outright !"

" Say'st thou so," quoth Jack ; " that is like one of
your Welsh tricks, yet I hope to be cunning enough
for you." Then, getting out of bed, he laid a billet
in the bed in his stead, and hid himself in a corner
of the room. At the dead time of the night in
came the Welsh giant, who struck several heavy
blows on the bed with his club, thinking he had
broken every bone in Jack's skin. The next morn-
ing Jack, laughing in his sleeve, gave him heartj
thanks for his night's lodging. '•' How have yoi^
rested V quoth the giant ; " did you not feel any
thing in the night ?" " No," quoth Jack, " nothing
but a rat, which gave me two or three slaps witi?
her tail." With that, greatly wond-ering, the giact
led Jack to breakfast, bringing him a bowl con-
taining four gallons of hasty pudding. Being loath
to let the giant think it too much for him, Jack put
a large leather bag under his loose coat, in such a
way that he could convey the pudding into it with-
out its being perceived. Then, telling the giant he
would show him a trick, taking a knife. Jack ripped
open the bag, and out came all the hasty pudding.
Whereupon, saying, " Odds splutters hur nails,

120 ENGLISH FAIB7 TALES.

hur can do that trick hurself," the monster took the
knife, and, ripping open his belly, fell down dead.

Now, it happened in these days that King Arthur's
only son asked his father to give him a large sum of
money, in order that he might go and seek his
fortune in the principality of Wales, where lived a
beautiful lady possessed with seven evil spirits. The
king did his best to persuade his son from it, but in
vain ; so at last gave way and the prince set out
with tw^o horses, one loaded with money, the other
for himself to ride upon. Now, after several days''
travel he came to a market-town in Wales, where he
beheld a vast crowd of people gathered together.
The prince asked the reason of it, and was told that
they had arrested a corpse for several large sums of
money which the deceased owed when he died. The
prince replied that it was a pity creditors should be
so cruel, and said : " Go, bury the dead, and let his
creditors come to my lodging, and there their debts
shall be paid." They came in such great numbers
that before night he had only twopence left for
himself.

Now Jack the Giant-killer, coming that way, w^as
so taken with the generosity of the prince that he
desired to be his servant. This being agreed upon,
the next morning they set forward on their journey
together, when, as they were ridino- out of the town.

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 121

an old woman called after the prince, saying : " He
has owed me twopence these seven years ; pray pay
me as well as the rest." Putting his hand to his
pocket, the prince gave the woman all he had left,
so that after their day's food, which cost what small
store Jack had by him, they were without a penny
between them.

"When the sun got low the king's son said : " Jack,
since we have no money, where can we lodge this
night ?"

But Jack replied : " Master, we'll do well enough,
for I have an uncle lives within two miles of this
place ; he is a huge and monstrous giant with three
heads ; he'll fight five hundred men in armor, and
make them to fly before him."

" Alas !" quoth the prince, " what shall we do
there ? He'll certainly chop us up at a mouthful.
Nay, we are scarce enough to fill one of his hollow
teeth !"

" It is no matter for that," quoth Jack ; " I myself
will go before and prepare the way for you ; there-
fore stop here and wait till I return." Jack then
rode away at full speed, and coming to the gate of
the castle, he knocked so loud that he made the
neighboring hills resound. The giant roared out at
this like thunder : " Who's there ?"

Jack said : " None but your poor cousin Jack."

122 ENGLISH FAIR Y TALES.

Quoth lie : " What news with mj poor cousin
Jack?"

He replied : " Dear uncle, heavy news, God
wot !"

" Prithee," quoth the giant, "what heavy news
can come to me ? I am a giant with three heads,
and besides thou knowest I can fight five hundred
men in armor, and make them fly like chaff before
the wind."

" Oh, but," quoth Jack, " here's the king's son
a-coming with a thousand men in armor to kill you
and destroy all that you have !"

" Oh, cousin Jack," said the giant, " this is heavy
news indeed ! I will immediately run and hide
myself, and thou shalt lock, bolt, and bar me in, and
keep the keys until the prince is gone." Having
secured the giant, Jack fetched his master, when
they made themselves heartily merry while the
poor giant lay trembling in a vault under the
ground.

Early in the morning Jack furnished his master
with a fresh supply of gold and silver, and then
sent him three miles forward on his journey, at
which time the prince was pretty well out of the
smell of the giant. Jack then returned, and let the
giant out of the vault, who asked what he should
give him for keeping the castle from destruction.

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES, 123

" Why," quoth Jack, " I want nothing but the
old coat and cap, together with the old
rusty sword and slippers which are at your bed's
head." Quoth the giant : " You know not what
you ask ; they are the most precious things I have.
The coat will keep you invisible, the cap will tell
you all you want to know, the sword cuts
asunder whatever you strike, and the shoes are of
extraordinary swiftness But you have been very
serviceable to me, therefore take them with all my
heart." Jack thanked his uncle, and then went ofif
with them. He soon overtook his master and they
quickly arrived at the house of the lady the prince
sought, who, finding the prince to be a suitor, pre-
pared a splendid banquet for him. After the repast
was concluded she told him she had a task for him.
She wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, saying :
" You must show me that handkerchief to- morrow
morning, or else you will lose your head." With
that she put it in her bosom. The prince went to
bed in great sorrow, but Jack's cap of knowledge
informed him how it was to be obtained. In the
middle of the night she called upon her familiar
spirit to carry her to Lucifer. But Jack put on his
coat of darkness and his shoes of swiftness, and was
there as soon as she was. When she entered the
place of the demon she gave the handkerchief to

134 ENOLISH FAIR7 TALES.

him, and he laid it upon a shelf, whence Jack took
it and brought it to his master, who showed it to
the lady next day, and so saved his life. On that
day she gave the prince a kiss and told him he must
show her the lips to-morrow morning that she
kissed last night, or lose his head.

" Ah !" he replied ; " if you kiss none but mine, I
will."

" Th.it is neither here nor there," said she ; " if
you do not, death's your portion !"

At midnight she went as before, and was angr^y
with the demon for letting the handkerchief go.
" But now," quoth she, " I will be too hard for the
king's son, for I will kiss thee, and he is to show me
thy lips." Which she did, and Jack, when she was
not standing by, cut off Lucifer's head and brought
it under his invisible coat to his master, who the
next morning pulled it out b}'" the horns before the
lady. This broke the enchantment and the evil
spirit left her, and she appeared in all her beauty.
They were married the next morning, and soon
after went to the court of King Arthur, where Jack
for his many great exploits was made one of the
Knights of the Kound Table.

Jack soon went searching for giants again, but he
had not ridden far when he saw a cave, near the
entrance of which he beheld a giant sitting upon a

ENGLISH FAIRT TALES. 125

block of timber, with a knotted iron club by his
side. His goggle eyes were like flames of fire, his
countenance grim and ugly, and his cheeks like a
couple of large flitches of bacon, while the bristles
of his beard resembled rods of iron wire, and the
locks that hung down upon his brawny shoulders
were like curled snakes or hissing adders. Jack
alighted from his horse, and, putting on the coat of
darkness, went up close to the giant, and said softly :
" Oh ! are you there ? It will not be long before I
take you fast by the beard." The giant all thia
while could not see him, on account of his invisible
coat, so that Jack, coming up close to the monster,
struck a blow with his sword at his head, but,
missing his aim, he cut ofl' the nose instead. At
this the giant roared like claps of thunder, and
began to lay about him with his iron club like one
stark mad. But Jack, running behind, drove his
sword up to the hilt in the giant's back, so that he
fell down dead. This done. Jack cut off the giant's
head, and sent it, with his brother's also, to King
Arthur, by a wagoner he hired for that purpose.

Jack now resolved to enter the giant's cave in
search of his treasure, and, passing along through a
great many windings and turnings, he came at length
i(y a large room paved with freestone, at the upper
end of which was a boiling: caldron, and on the riebt

136 EimZISS FAIBT TALES,

hand a large table, at which the giant used to dino.
Then he came to a window, barred with iron,
through which he looked and beheld a vast number
of miserable captives, who, seeing him, cried out:
"Alas! young man, art thou come to be one
amongst us in this miserable den ?"

" Ay," quoth Jack, " but pray tell me what is
the meaning of your captivity ?"

" We are kept here," said one, " till such time as
the giants have a wish to feast, and then the fattest
among us is slaughtered ! And many are the times
they have dined upon murdered men !"

" Say you so," quoth Jack, and straightway un-
locked the gate and let them free, who all rejoiced
like condemned men at sight of a pardon. Then,
searching the giant's coffers, he shared the gold
and silver equally among them and took them
to a neighboring castle, where they all feasted and
made merry over th^r deliverance.

But in the midst of all this mirth a messenger
brought news that one Thunderdell, a giant with
two heads, having heard of the death of his kins-
men, had come from the northern dales to be
revenged on Jack, and was within a mile of the
castle, the country people flying before him like
chaff. But Jack was not a bit daunted, and said ;
"Let him come! I have a tool to pick his teeth;

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 127

and you, ladies and gentlemen, walk out into the
garden, and you shall witness this giant Thunder-
dell's death and destruction."

The castle was situated in the midst of a small
island surrounded by a moat thirty feet deep and
twenty feet wide, over which lay a drawbridge. So
Jack employed men to cut through this bridge on
both sides, nearly to the middle ; and then, dressing
himself in his invisible coat, he marched against the
giant with his sword of sharpness. Although the
giant could not see Jack, he smelled his approach, and
cried out in these words :

" Fee, fi, fo, fum!
I smell the blood of an Englishman!
Be he alive or be he dead,
I'll grind his bones to make me bread!"

"Say'st thou so," said Jack; "then thou art a
monstrous miller indeed."

The giant cried out again : " Art thou that villain
who killed my kinsmen ? Then I will tear thee
with my teeth, suck thy blood, and grind thy bones
to powder."

" You'll have to catch me first," quoth Jack, and
throwing off his invisible coat, so that the giant
might see him, and putting on his shoes of swiftness,
he ran irom the giant, who followed like a walking

128 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

castle, so that the very foundations of the earth
seemed to shake at every step. Jack led him a long
dance, in order that the gentlemen and ladies might
see ; and at last, to end the matter, ran lightly over
the drawbridge, the giant, in full speed, pursuing
him with his club. Then, coming to the middle of
the bridge, the giant's great weight broke it down,
and he tumbled headlong into the water, where he
rolled and wallowed like a whale. Jack, standing
by the moat, laughed at him all the while; but
though the giant foamed to hear him scoff, and
plunged from place to place in the moat, yet he
could not get out to be revenged. Jack at length
got a cart-rope and cast it over the two heads of the
giant, and drew him ashore by a team of horses, and
then cut off both his heads with his sword o^ sharp-
ness, and sent them to King Arthur.

After some time spent in mirth and pastime. Jack,
taking leave of the knights and ladies, set out for
new adventures. Through many woods he passed,
and came at length to the foot of a high mountain.
Here, late at night he found a lonesome house, and
knocked at the door, which was opened by an aged
man with a head as white as snow. " Father," said
Jack, " can you lodge a benighted traveler that has
lost his way ?" " Yes," said the old man ; " you are
right welcome to my poor cottage." Whereupon

EimLISH FAIRY TALES. 129

Jacic entered, and down they sat together, and the
old man began to speak as follows : " Son, I see by
your belt you are the great conqueror of giants, and
behold, my son, on the top of this mountain is an
enchanted castle; this is kept by a giant named
Galligantua, and he by the help of an old conjurer
betrays many knights and ladies into his castle,
where by magic art they are transformed into sundry
shapes and forms. But, above all, I grieve for a
duke's daughter^ whom they fetched from her
father's garden, carrying her through the air in a
burning chariot drawn by fiery dragons, when they
secured her within the castle, and transformed her
into a white hind. And though many knights have
tried to break the enchantment, and work her
deliverance, yet no one could accomplish it, on ac-
count of two dreadful griffins which are placed at
the castle gate, and which destroy every one who
comes near. But you, my son, may pass by them
undiscovered, where on the gates of the castle
vou will find engraven in large letters how the spell
may be broken." Jack gave the old man his handj
and promised that in the morning he would venture
his life to free the lady.

In the morning Jack arose and put on his invisi-
ble coat and magic cap and shoes, and prepared
himself for the fray. Now, when he had reached

130 ENGLISH FAIBY TALES.

the top of the mountain he soon discovered the two
fiery griffins, but passed them without fear, because
of his invisible coat. When he had got beyond
them he found upon the gates of the castle a golden
trumpet hung by a silver chain, under which these
lines were engraved :

" "Whoever shall this trumpet blow,
Shall soon the giant overthrow,
And break the black enchantment straight;
So all shall be in happy state."

Jack had no sooner read this but he blew the
trumpet, at which the castle trembled to its vast
foundations, and the giant and conjurer were in
horrid confusion, biting their thumbs and tearing
their hair, knowing their wicked reign was at an
end. Then the giant stooping to take up his club,
Jack at one blow cut off his head ; whereupon the
conjurer, mounting up into the air, was carried away
in a whirlwind. Then the enchantment was broken,
and all the lords and ladies who had so long been
transformed into birds and beasts returned to their
proper shapes, and the castle vanished away in a
cloud of smoke. This being done, the head of
Galligantua was likewise, in the usual manner, con-
veyed to the Court of King Arthur, where, the very
next day, Jack followed, with the knights and ladies

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 131

who had been delivered. Whereupon, as a reward
for his good services, the king prevailed upon the
duke to bestow his daughter in marriage on honest
Jack. So married they were, and the whole king-
dom was filled with joy at the wedding. Further-
more, the king bestowed on Jack a noble castle, with
a very beautiful estate thereto belonging, where he
and his lady lived in great joy and happiness all the
rest of their days.

HENNY-PENirr.

ONE day Henny-penny was picking up corn in
the cornyard when — whack ! — something hit
her upon the head. " Goodness gracious me!" said
Henny-penny ; " the sky's a-going to fall ; I must
go and tell the king."

So she went along, and she went along, and she
went along, till she met Cocky-locky. " Where are
you going, Henny-penny ?" said Cocky-locky. " Oh !
I'm going to tell the king the sky's a-falling," said
Henny-penny. "May I come with you?" said
Cocky-locky. " Certainly," said Henny-penny, So
Henny-penny and Cocky-locky went to tell the king
the sky was falling.

They went along, and they went along, and they
went along, till they met Ducky-daddies. " Where

BNOLISH FAIRT TALES. 133

are you going to, Henny-penny and Cocky-locky ?"
said Ducky-daddies. " Oh ! we're going to tell the
king the sky's a-falling," said Henny-penny and
Cocky-locky. "May I come with you?" said
Ducky-daddies. "Certainly," said Henny-penny
and Cocky-locky. So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky
and Ducky-daddies went to tell the king the sky
was a-falling.

So they went along, and they went along, and
they went along, till they met Goosey-poosey.
" "Where are you going to, Henny-penny, Cocky
locky and Ducky-daddies ?" said Goosey-poosey,
" Oh ! we're going to tell the king the sky's
a-falling," said Henny-penny and Cocky-locky and
Ducky-daddies. " May I come with you ?" said
Goosey-poosey. "Certainly," said Henny-penny,
Cocky-locky and Ducky-daddies. So Henny-penny,
Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddies and Goosy-poosey
went to tell the king the sky was a-falling.

So they went along, and they went along, and
they went along, till they met Turkey-lurkey.
" Where are you going, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky,
Ducky-daddies and Goosey-poosey?" said Turkey-
lurkey. " Oh ! we're going to tell the king the sky's
a-falling," said Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-
daddies and Goosey-poosey. " May I come with
vou, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddies

134 ENGLISH FAIRT TALES.

and Goosey-poosej ?" said Turkey-lurkey. " Oh,
certainly, Turkey-lurkey," said Henny-penny,
Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddies, and Goosey-poosey.
So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddies,
Goosey-poosey and Turkey-lurkey aU. went to tell
the king the sky was a-falling.

So they went along, and they went along, and
they went along, till they met Foxy-woxy, and
Foxy-woxy said to Ilonny-penny, Cocky-locky,
Ducky-daddies, Goosey-poosey and Turkey-lurkey :
" "Where are you going, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky,
Ducky-daddies, Goosey-poosey and Turkey-lurkey ?"
And Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddies,
Groosey-poosey and Turkey-lurkey said to Foxy-
woxy : " We're going to tell the king the sky'3 a.
falling." " Oh ! but this is not the way to the king
Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddies, Goosey-
poosey and Turkey-lurkey," said Foxy-woxy ; " I
know the proper way ; shall I show it you ?" " Oh
certainly, Foxy-woxy," said Henny-penny, Cocky-
locky, Ducky-daddies, Goosey-poosey ana Turkey-
lurkey. So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-
daddies, Goosey-poosey, Turkey-lurkey and Foxy-
woxy all went to tell the king the sky was a-falling.
So they went along, and thsy went along, and they
went along, till they came to a narrow and dark
hole. Now this was the door of Foxy-woxy's cave.

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 135

But Foxy-woxy said to Henny-penny, Cocky-locky,
Ducky-daddies, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey :
" This is the short way to the king's palace : you'll
Foon get there if you follow me. I will go first and
you come after, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-
daddies, Goosey-poosey and Turkey-lurkey." "Why
of course, certainly, without doubt, why not ?" said
Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddies, Goosey-
poosey and Turkey-lurkey.

So Foxy-woxy went into his cave, and he didn't
go very far, but turned round to wait for Henny-
penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddies, Goosey-poosey
and Turkey-lurkey. So at last at first Turkey-lurkey
went through the dark hole into the cave. He
hadn't got far when " Hrumph," Foxy-woxy snapped
off Turkey-lurkey's head and threw his body over his
left shoulder. Then Goosey-poosey went in, and
"Hrumph," off went her head and Goosey-poosey
was thrown beside Turkey-lurkey. Then Ducky-
daddies waddled down, and "Hrumph," snapped
Foxy-woxy, and Ducky-daddies^ head was off and
Ducky-daddies was thrown alongside Turkey-lurkey
and Goosey-poosey. Then Cocky-locky strutted
down into the cave and he hadn't gone far when
" Snap, Hrumph !" went Foxy-Avoxy and Cocky-locky
was thrown alongside of Turkey-lurkey, Goosey^
poosey and Duckev-daddles.

136 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES,

But Foxy-woxy had made two bites at Cocky-
locky, and when the first snap only hurt Cocky-locky,
but didn't kill him, he called out to Henny-penny.
But she turned tail and off she ran home, so she
never told the king the sky was a- falling.

CHILDE ROWLAND.

CHIIxDE ROWLAND and his brothers twain
Were playing at the ball,
And there was their sister Burd Ellen
In the midst, among them all.

Childe Rowland kicked it with his foot

And caught it with his knee;
At last as he plunged among them all

O'er the church he made it flee.

Burd Ellen round about the aisle

To seek the ball is gone,
But long they waited, and longer still,

And she came not back again.

They sought her east, they sought her west,

They sought her up and down.
And woe were the hearts of those brethren,

For she was not to be found.

138 ENGLISH FAIR Y TALES.

So at last her eldest brother went to the Warlock
Merlin and told him all the case, and asked him it
he knew where Burd Ellen was. " The fair Burd
Ellen," said the Warlock Merlin, " must have been
carried off by the fairies, because she went round
the church ' widershins' — the opposite way to the
sun. She is now in the Dark Tower of the King of
Elfland ; it would take the boldest knight in Chris-
tendom to bring her back."

" If it is possible to bring her back," said he?
brother, " I'll do it, or perish in the attempt."

" Possible it is," said the Warlock Merlin, " but
woe to the man or mother's son that attempts it, if
he is not well taught beforehand what he is to do."

The eldest brother of Burd Ellen was not to be put
off, by any fear of danger, from attempting to get
her back, so he begged the Warlock Merlin to teU
him what he should do, and what he should not do,
in going to seek his sister. And after he had been
taught, and had repeated his lesson, he set out for
Elfland.

But long they waited, and longer still,

With doubt aud muckle pain,
But woe were the hearts of his brethren.

For he came not back again.

Then the second brother got tired and tired of

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 139

waiting, and he went to the "Warlock Merlin and
asked him the same as his brother. So he set out
to find Burd Ellen.

But long they waited, and longer still,

"With muckle doubt and pain,
And woe were his mother's and brother's heart,

For he came not back again.

And when they had waited and waited a good
long time, Childe Eowland, the youngest of Burd
Ellen's brothers, wished to go, and went to his
mother, the good queen, to ask her to let him go.
But she would not at first, for he was the last and
dearest of her children, and if he was lost all would
be lost. But he begged, and he begged, till at last
the good queen let him go, and gave him his father's
good brand that never struck in vain, and as sh&
girt it round his waist she said the spell that would
give it victory.

So Childe Rowland said good-by to the good
queen, his mother, and went to the cave of the War^
lock Merlin. " Once more, and but once more," he
said to the Warlock, " tell how man or mother's son
may rescue Burd Ellen and her brothers twain."

" Well, my son," said the Warlock Merlin, " there
are but two things, simple they may seem, but hard
they are to do. One thing to do, and one thing not

140 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

to do. And the thing to do is this : after yon have
entered the land of Fairy, whoever speaks to you,
till you meet the Burd Ellen, you must out with
your father's brand and off with their head. And
what you've not to do is this : bite no bit, and drink
no drop, however hungry or thirsty you be ; drink
a drop, or bite a bit, while in Elfland you be and
never will you see Middle Earth again."

So Childe Rowland said the two things over and
over again, till he knew them by heart, and he
thanked the "Warlock Merlin and went on his way.
And he went along, and along, and along, and still
further along, till he came to the horse-herd of the
King of Elfland feeding his horses. These he knew
by their fiery eyes, and knew that he was at last in
the land of Fairy. "Canst thou tell me," said
Childe Rowland to the horse-herd, " where the King
of Elfland's Dark Tower is ?" " I cannot tell thee,"
said the horse-herd, " but go on a little further and
thou wilt come to the cowherd, and he, maybe, can
tell thee."

Then, without a word more, Childe Rowland
drew the good brand that never struck in vain, and
off went the horse-herd's head, and Childe Rowland
went on further, till he came to the cowherd, and
asked him the same question. " I can't tell thee,"
said he, " but go on a little further, and thou wilt

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 141

come to the hen-wife, and she is sure to know."
Then Ciiilde Rowland out with his good brand, that
never struck in vain, and off went the cowherd's
head. And he went on a little further, till he came
to an old woman in a gray cloak, and he asked her
if she knew where the Dark Tower of the King of
Elfland was. " Go on a little further," said the hen-
wife, " till you come to a round green hill, sur-
rounded with terrace-rings, from the bottom to the
top ; go round it three times, widershins, and each
time say :

"Open, door! open, door!
And let me come in."

and the third time the door will open, and you maj
go in." And Childe Rowland was just going on,
when he remembered what he had to do ; so he out
with the good brand, that never struck in vain, and
off went the hen-wife's head.

Then he went on, and on, and on, till he came to
the round green hill with the terrace-rings from top
to bottom, and he went round it three times, wider-
shins, saying each time :

"Open, door \ open, door I
And let me come in."

And the third time the door did open, and he

142 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

went in, and it closed with a click, and Childe Row-
land was left in the dark.

It was not exactly dark, but a kind of twilight or
gloaming. There were neither windows nor candles,
and he could not make out where the twilight came
from, if not through the walls and roof. These
were rough arches made of a transparent rock,
incrusted with sheepsilver and rock spar, and other
bright stones. But though it was rock the air was
quite warm, as it always is in Elfland. So he went
through this passage till at last he came to two wide
and high folding-doors which stood ajar. And when
he opened them there he saw a most wonderful and
glorious sight. A large and spacious hall, so large
that it seemed to be as long, and as broad, as the
green hill itself. The roof was supported by fine
pillars, so large and lofty that the pillars of a ca-
thedral were as nothing to them. They were all of
gold and silver, with fretted work, and between
them and around them wreaths of flowers, composed
of what do you think? Why, of diamonds and
emeralds, and all manner of precious stones. And
the very keystones of the arches had for ornaments
clusters of diamonds and rubies, and pearls, and
other precious stones. And all these arches met in
the middle of tlie roof, and just there hung, by a
gold chain, an immense lamp made out of one big

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES, 143

pearl hollowed out and quite transparent. And in
the middle of this was a big, huge carbuncle, which
kept spinning round and round, and this was what
gave light by its rays to the whole hall, which
seemed as if the setting sun was shining on it.

The haU was furnished in a manner equally grand,
and at one end of it was a glorious couch of velvet,
silk and gold, and there sate Burd Ellen, combing
her golden hair with a silver comb. And when she
aaw Childe Rowland she stood up and said :

" God pity ye, poor luckless fool,
"What have ye here to do?

" Hear ye this, my youngest brother,
Why didn't ye bide at home ?
Had you a hundred thousand lives
Ye couldn't spare any a one.

** But sit ye down ; but woe, 0, woe,
That ever ye were born ;
For come the King of Elfland in,
5four fortune is forlorn."

Then they sate down together, and Childe Row-
land told her all that he had done, and she told
him how their two brothers had reached the Dark
Tower, but had been enchanted by the King of
Elfland, and lay there entombed as if dead. And
then after they had talked a little longer Ghildf

144 EN0LI8H FATRY TALBB.

Rowland began to feel hungry from his long travels,
and told his sister Burd Ellen how hungry he was
and asked for some food, forgetting all about the
Warlock Merlin's warning.

Burd Ellen looked at Childe Rowland sadly, and
shook her head, but she was under a spell, and
could not warn him. So she rose up, and went out,
and soon brought back a golden basin full of bread
and milk. Childe Rowland was just going to raise
it to his lips, when he looked at his sister and re-
membered why he had come all that way. So he
dashed the bowl to the ground, and said : " Not a
sup will I swallow, nor a bit will I bite, till Burd
Ellen is set free."

Just at that moment they heard the noise ol
some one approaching, and a loud voice was heard
siiying:

"Fee, fi, fo, fum,
I smell the blood of a Christian man,
Be he dead, be he living, with my brand,
I'll dash his brains from his brain-pan."

And then the folding-doors of the hall were burst
open, and the King of Elfland rushed in.

" Strike then, Bogle, if thou darest," shouted out
Clhilde Rowland, and rushed to meet him with his
^ood brand that never yet did fail. They fought,

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 145

and they fought, and they fought, till Childe Row-
land beat the King of Elfland down on to his knees,
and caused him to yield and beg for mercy. " I
grant thee mercy," said Childe Rowland, " release
my sister from thy spells and raise my orothers to
life, and let us all go free, and thou shalt be spared."
" I agree," said the Elfin king, and rising up he
went to a chest from which he took a phial filled
■syith a blood-red liquor. With this he anointed the
ears, eyelids, nostrils, lips, and finger-tips of the two
brothers, and they sprang at once into life, and de-
clared that their souls had been away, but had now
returned. The Elfin king then said some words to
Burd Ellen, and she was disenchanted, and they all
four passed out of the hall, through the long pas-
sage, and turned their back on the Dark Tower,
never to return again. So they reached home, and
the good queen their mother, and Burd Ellen never
went round a church widershins again.

146 ENGLISH FAIBT TALES.

MOLLY WHUPPIE.

ONCE upon a time there was a man and a wife
had too many children, and they could not
get meat for them, so they took the three youngest
and left them in a wood. They traveled and
traveled and could see never a house. It began to
be dark, and they were hungry. At last they saw
a light and made for it ; it turned out to be a house.
They knocked at the door, and a woman came to it,
who said: "What do you want?" They said:
" Please let us in and give us something to eat."
The woman said : " I can't do that, as my man is a
giant, and he would kill you if he comes home."
They begged hard. " Let us stop for a little while,"
said they, " and we will go away before he comes."
So she took them in, and set them down before the
fire, and gave them milk and bread ; but just as they
had begun to eat a great knock came to the door,
and a dreadful voice said :

" Fee, fi, fo, fum,
I smell the blood of some earthly one.

"Who have you there wife ?" "Eh," said the wife,

ENOLI8E FAIRT TALES. 147

" it^s three poor lassies cold and hungry, and they
will go away. Ye won't touch 'em, man." He said
nothing, but ate up a big supper, and ordered them
to stay all night. Now he had three lassies of his
own, and they were to sleep in the same bed with
the three strangers. The youngest of the three
strange lassies was called Molly "Whuppie, and she
was very clever. She noticed that before they went
to bed the giant put straw ropes round her neck and
her sisters', and round his own lassies' necks he put
gold chains. So Molly took care and did not fall
asleep, but waited till she was sure every one was
sleeping sound. Then she slipped out of the bed,
and took the straw ropes off her own and her sisters'
necks, and took the gold chains off the giant's lassies.
She then put the straw ropes on the giant's lassies
and the gold on herself and her sisters, and lay
down. And in the middle of the night up rose the
giant armed with a great club, and felt for the necks
with the straw. It was dark. He took his own
lassies out of bed on to the floor, and battered them
until they were dead, and then lay down again,
thinking he had managed finely. Molly thought it
time she and her sisters were off and away, so she
wakened them and told them to be quiet, and they
slipped out of the house. They all got out safe, and
they ran and ran, and never stopped until morning,

148 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

when they saw a grand house before them. It
turned out to be a king's house : so Molly went in,
and told her story to the king. He said : " "Well,
Molly, you are a clever girl, and you have managed
well ; but, if you would manage better, and go back
and steal the giant's sword that hangs on the back
of his bed, I would give your eldest sister my eldest
son to marry." Molly said she would try. So slie
went back, and managed to slip into the giant's
house, and crept in below the bed. The giant came
home, and ate up a great supper, and went to bed.
Molly waited until he was snoring, and she crept
out, and reached over the giant and got down the
sword ; but just as she got it out over the bed it
gave a rattle, and up jumped the giant, and Molly
ran out at the dooi- .^nd the sword with her ; and
she ran, and he ran, tik they came to the " Bridge
of one hair ;" and she got over, but he couldn't, an(}
he says, "Woe worth ye, Molly Whuppie! never ye
come again." And she says: "Twice yet, carle,"
quoth she, " I'll come to Spain." So Molly took the
sword to the king, and her sister was married to his
son.

Well, the king he says : " Ye've managed well,
Molly ; but if ye would manage better, and steal the
purse that lies below the giant's pillow, I would
marry your second sister to my second son." And

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

149

Molly said she would try. So she set out for the
giant's house, and slipped in, and hid again below
the bed, and waited till the giant had eaten his sup-
per, and was snoring sound asleep. She slipped out,
and slipped her hand below the pillow, and got out

the purse ; but just as she was going out the giant
wakened, and ran after her ; and she ran, and he
ran, till they came to the " Bridge of one hair," and
she got over, but he couldn't, and he said, " Woe
worth ye, Molly Whuppie ! never you come again."
" Once yet, carle," quoth she, " I'll come to Spain,"

150 ENGLISB FATRT TALEb.

So Molly took the purse to the king, and her secon.d
sister was married to the king's second son.

After that the king says to Molly : " Molly, you
are a clever girl, but if you would do better yet,
and steal the giant's ring that he wears on his
finger, I will give you my youngest son for your-
self." Molly said she would try. So back she goes
to the giant's house, and hides herself below the
bed. The giant wasn't long ere he came home, and,
after he had eaten a great big supper he went to his
bed, and shortly was snoring loud. Molly crept out
and reached over the bed, and got hold of the giant's
hand, and she pulled and she pulled until she got off
the ring; but just as she got it off the giant got up,
and gripped her by the hand, and he says : "Now I
have caught you, Molly "Whuppie, and, if I had done
ss much ill to you as ye have done to me, what
Would ye de to me ?"

Molly says : " I would put you into a sack, and I'd
put the cat inside wi' you, and the dog aside you,
and a needle and thread and a shears, and I'd hang
you up upon the wall, and I'd go to the wood, and
choose the thickest stick I could get, and I would
come home, and take you down, and bang you till
vou were dead."

" Well, Molly," says the giant, '- I'll just do that
to you."

ENOLmn F'AIRY TALES. 151

So he gets a sack, and puts Molly into it, and the
cat and the dog beside her, and a needle and thread
and shears, and hangs her up upon the wall^ and
goes to the wood to choose a stick.

Molly she sings out : " Oh, if ye saw what I
see !"

" Oh," says the giant's wife, " what do ye see,
Molly ?"

But Molly never said a word but, " Oh, if ye saw
what I see !"

The giant's wife begged that Molly would take
her up into the sack till she would see what Molly
saw. So Molly took the shears and cut a hole in
the sack, and took out the needle and thread with
her, and jumped down and helped the giant's wife
up into the sack, and sewed up the hole.

The giant's wife saw nothing, and began to ask
to get down again ; but Molly never minded, but
hid herself at the back of the door. Home came
the giant, and a great big tree in his hand, and he
took down the sack, and began to batter it. His
wife cried, " It's me, man ;" but the dog barked and
the cat mewed, and he did not know his wife's voice.
But Molly came out from the back of the door, and
the giant saw her, and he after her ; and he ran and
she ran, till they came to the "Bridge of one hair,'*
and she got over but he couldn't ; and he said.

152

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

""Woe worth you, Molly "Whuppie I never you come
again." " Never more, carle," quoth she, " will 1
come again to Spain."

So Molly took the ring to the king, and she was
married to his youngest son, and she never saw the
giant again.

SifQLISH FAIHr TALES. 153

THE KED ETTIN.

THERE was once a widow that lived on a small
bit of ground, which she rented from a
farmer. And she had two sons ; and by and by it
was time for the wife to send them away to seek
their fortune. So she told her eldest son one day
to take a can and bring her water from the well,
that she might bake a cake for him ; and however
much or however little water he might bring, the
cake would be great or small accordingly, and that
cake was to be all that she could give him when he
went on his travels.

The lad went away with the can to the well, and
filled it with water, and then came away home
again ; but, the can being broken, the most part of
the water had run out before he got back. So his
cake was very small; yet, small as it was, his
mother asked him if he was willing to take the half
of it with her blessing, telling him that, if he chose
rather to take the whole, he would only get it with
her curse. The young man, thinking he might have

154 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

to travel a far way, and not knowing when or how
he might get other provisions, said he would like to
have the whole cake, come of his mother's malison
what might ; so she gave him the whole cake, and
her malison along with it. Then he took his
brother aside, and gave him a knife to keep tiU he
should come back, desiring him to look at it every
morning, and as long as it continued to be clear, then
he might be sure that the owner of it was weU ; but if
it grew dim and rusty, then for certain some iU had
befallen him.

So the young man went to seek his fortune. And
he went all that day, and all the next day ; and on
the third day, in the afternoon, he came up to where
a shepherd was sitting with a flock of sheep. And
he went up to the shepherd and asked him who ilm
sheep belonged to ; and he answered :

" The Red Ettin of Ireland

Once lived in Ballygan,
And stole King Malcolm's daughter

The king of fair Scotland.
He beats her, he binds her,

He lays her on a band ;
And every day he strikes her

"With a bright silver wand.
Like Julian the Roman,
He's one that fears no man.

ENGLISH FAIRY 7 ALES.

155

" It's said there's one predestinate
To be his mortal foe ;
But that man is yet unborn,
And long may it be so."

This shepherd also told him to beware of the

beasts he should next meet, for they were of a very
different kind from any he had yet seen.

So the young man went on, and by and by he saw
a multitude of very dreadful beasts, with two heads,
and on every head four horns. And he was sore
frightened, and ran away from them as fast as he
could ; and glad was he when he came to a castle
that stood on a hillock, with the door standing wide
open to the wall. And he went into the castle for

156 ENGLISH FAIRT TALES.

shelter, and there he saw an old wife sitting beside
the kitchen fire. He asked the wife if he might
stay for the night, as he was tired with a long jour-
ney ; and the wife said he might, but it was not a
good place for him to be in, as it belonged to the
Red Ettin, who was a very terrible beast, with three
heads, that spared no living man it could get hold
of. The young man would have gone away, but he
was afraid of the beasts on the outside of the castle ;
so he beseeched the old woman to hide him as best
she could, and not tell the Ettin he was there. He
thought, if he could put over the night, he might
get away in the morning, without meeting with the
oeasts, and so escape. But he had not been long in
nis hiding-hole before the awful Ettin came in ; and
no sooner was he in than he was heard crying :

*' Snouk but and snouk ben,
I find the smell of an earthly man,
Be he living, or be he dead,
His heart this night shall kitchen my bread.**

The monster soon found the poor j'^oung man, and
pulled him from his hole. And when he had got
him out he told him that if he could answer him
three questions his life should be spared. So the
first head asked : " A thing without an end, what's
that ?" But the young man knew not. Then the

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 157

second head said : " The smaller, the more danger-
ous, what's that?" But the young man knew it
not. And then the third head asked : " The dead
carrying the living ; riddle me that ?" But the
young man had to give it up. The lad not being
a\ie to answer one of these questions, the Red Ettin
took a mallet and knocked him on the head, and
turned him into a pillar of stone.

On the morning after this happened the younger
brother took out the knife to look at it, and he was
grieved to find it all brown with rust. He told his
mother that the time was now come for him to go
away upon his travels also ; so she requested him to
take the can to the well for water, that she might
make a cake for him. And he went, and as he was
brinffino: home the water a raven over his head
cried to him to look, and he would see that the
water was running out. And he was a young man
of sense, and seeing the water running out, he took
some clay and patched up the holes, so that he
brought home enough water to bake a large cake.
When his mother put it to him to take the half -cake
with her blessing, he took it in preference to having
the whole with her malison ; and yet the half was
bigger than what the other lad had got.

So he went away on his journey ; and after he
had traveled a far way, he met with an old woman

158 ENGLISH FAIRT TALES,

that asked him if he would give her a bit of hia
bannock. And he said : " I will gladly do that,'*
and so he gave her a piece of the bannock ; and for
that she gave him a magic wand, that might yet bft
of service to him, if he took care to use it rightly.
Then the old woman, who was a fairy, told him a
.^reat deal that would happen to him, and what hiQ
ought to do in all circumstances ; and after that she
vanished in an instant out of his sight. He went
on a great way further, and then he came up to the
old man herding the sheep; and when he asked
whose sheep these were, the answer was :

" The Eed Ettin of Ireland

Once lived in Ballygan,
And stole King Malcolm's daughter,

The king of fair Scotland.
He beats her, he binds her,

He lays her on a band;
And every day he strikes her

With a bright silver wand.
Like Julian the Koman,

He's one that fears no man.

*' But now I fear his end is near,
And destiny at hand;
And you're to be, I plainly see,
The heir of all his land."

"When he came to the place where the monstrous

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 159

beasts were standing, he did not stop nor run away,
but went boldly through among them. One came
up roaring with open mouth to devour him, when
he struck it with his wand, and laid it in an instant
dead at his feet. He soon came to the Ettin's
castle, where he knocked, and was admitted. The
old woman who sat by the fire warned him of the
terrible Ettin, and what had been the fate of his
brother; but he was not to be daunted. The
monster soon came in, saying :

" Snouk but and snouk ben,
I find the smell of an earthly man;
Be he living, or be he dead.
His heart shall be kitchen to my bread."

He quickly espied the young man, and bade him
come forth on the floor. And then he put the three
questions to him ; but the young man had been told
everything by the good fairy, so he was able to
answer all the questions. So when the first head
asked, " What's the thing without an end ?" he said :
" A bowl." And when the second head said : " The
smaller the more dangerous ; what's that ?" he said
at once, "A bridge." And last, the third head
said : " When does the dead carry the living,
riddle me that ?" Then the young man answered
up at once and said : " When a ship sails on the sea

160 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

with men inside her." When the Ettin found this,
he knew that his power was gone. The young man
then took up an ax and hewed off the monster's
three heads. He next asked the old woman to show
him where the king's daughter lay ; and the old
woman took him upstairs, and opened a great many
doors, and out of every door came a beautiful lady
who had been imprisoned there by the Ettin ; and
one of the ladies was the king's daughter. She also
took him down into a low room, and there stood a
stone pillar, that he had only to touch with his
wand, when his brother started into life. And the
whole of the prisoners were overjoyed at their
deliverance, for which they thanked the young
man. Kext day they all set out for the king's court,
and a gallant company they made. And the king
married his daughter to the young man that had
delivered her, and gave a noble's daughter to his
brother ; and so they all lived happily all the reit
of their days.

THE GOLDEN AKM.

THEEE was once a man who traveled the land
all over in search of a wife. He saw young
and old, rich and poor, pretty and plain, and could
not meet with one to his mind. At last he found a
woman, young, fair, and rich, who possessed a right
arm of solid gold. He married her at once, and
thought no man so fortunate as he was. They lived
Happily together, but, though he wished people to

162 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

think otherwise, he was fonder of the golden arm
than of all his wife's gifts besides.

At last she died. The husband put on the black-
est black, and pulled the longest face at the funeral ;
but for all that he got up in the middle of the night,
dug up the body, and cut off the golden arm. He
hurried home to hide his treasure, and thought no
one would know.

The following night he put the golden arm under
his pillow, and was just falling asleep, when the
ghost of his dead wife glided into the room. Stalk-
ing up to the bedside, it drew the curtain, and looked
at him reproachfully. Pretending not to be afraid,
he spoke to the ghost, and said : " What hast thou
done with thy cheeks so red ?"

" All withered and wasted away," replied the
ghost, in a hollow tone.

" What hast thou done with thy red rosy lips ?"

" All withered and wasted away."

" What hast thou done with thy golden hair f

" AU withered and wasted away."

" What hast thou done with thy Golden Arm ?^

" Thou hast it 1"

ENGLISH I AIRY TALES. 163

THE HISTORY OF TOM THUMB.

IN the days of the great Prince Arthur there
lived a mighty magician, called Merlin the
most learned and skillful enchanter the world has
ever seen.

This famous magician, who could take any form
he pleased, was traveling about as a poor beggar,
and being very tired, he stopped at the cottage of a
plowman to rest himself, and asked for some food.

The countryman bade him welcome, and his wife,
who was a very good-hearted woman, soon brought
him some milk in a wooden bovvl, and some coarse
brown bread on a platter.

Merlin was much pleased with the kindness of the
plowman and his wife; but he could not help
noticing that though everything was neat and com-
fortable in the cottage, they seemed both to be very
unhappy. He therefore asked them why they were
so melancholy, and learned that they were miser-
able because they had no children.

'^he poor woman said, with tearg in her eyes :

164 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

" I should be the happiest creature in the world if 1
Had a son ; although he was no bigger than mj
husband's thumb, I would be satisfied."

Merlin was so much amused with the idea of a
boy no bigger than a man's thumb that he de-
termined to grant the poor woman's wish. Accord-
ingly, in a short time after, the plowman's wife had
a son, who, wonderful to relate ! was not a bit
bigger than his father's thumb.

The queen of the fairies, wishing to see the little
fellow, came in at the window while the mother
was sitting up in the bed admiring him. The queen
kissed the child, and, giving it the name of Tom
Thumb, sent for some of the fairies, who dressed
her little godson according to her orders :

" An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown;
His shirt of web by spiders spun;
With jacket wove of thistle's down;
His trousers were of feathers done.
His stockings, of apple-rind, they tie
With eyelash from his mother's eye;
His shoes were made of mouse's skin,
Tann'd with the downy hair within,"

Tom never grew any larger than his father's
thumb, which was only of ordinary size ; bui as he
got older he became very cunning and full of tricks.
When he was old enough to play with the boys, and

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 165

had lost all his own cherry-stones, he nsed to creep
into the bags of his playfellows, fill his pockets, and,
getting out without their noticing him, would again
join in the game.

One day, however, as he was coming out of a bag
of cherry-stones, where he had been stealing as
usual, the boy to whom it belonged chanced to see
him. " Ah, ah ! my little Tommy," said the boy,
" so I have caught you stealing my cherry-stones at
last, and you shall be rewarded for your thievish
tricks." On saying this he drew the string tight
around his neck, and gave the bag such a hearty
shake that poor little Tom's legs, thighs and body
were sadly bruised. He roared out with pain, and
begged to be let out, promising never to steal again.

A short time afterward his mother was making a
batter-pudding, and Tom, being very anxious to see
how it was made, climbed up to the edge of the
bowl ; but his foot slipped, and he plumped over
head and ears into the batter, without his mother
noticing him, who stirred him into the pudding-bag,
and put him in the pot to boil.

The batter filled Tom's mouth, and prevented him
from crying; but, on feeling the hot water, he
kicked and struggled so much in the pot that his
mother thought that the pudding was bewitched,
and, pulling it oiit of the pot, she threw it outside

166 ENGLISH FAIEF TALES,

the door. A poor tinker, who was passing by,
liftod up the pudding, and, putting it into hia
budget, he then walked off. As Tom had now got
his mouth cleared of the batter, he then began tc
cry aloud, which so frightened the tinker that he
flung down the pudding and ran away. The pud-
ding being broke to pieces by the fall, Tom crept
out, covered all over with the batter, and walked
home. His mother, who was very sorry to see her
darling in such a woeful state, put him into a tea-
cup, and soon washed off the batter ; after which
she kissed him, and laid him in bed.

Soon after the adventure of the pudding Tom's
mother went to milk her cow in the meadow, and
she took him along with her. As the wind was very
high, for fear of being blown away she tied him to
a thistle with a piece of fine thread. The cow soon
observed Tom's oak-leaf hat, and, liking the appear-
ance of it, took poor Tom and the thistle at one
mouthful. While the cow was chewing the thistle
Tom was afraid of her great teeth, which threatened
to crush him in pieces, and he roared out as loud as
he could : " Mother, mother !"

"Where are you, Tommy, my dear Tommy?''
said his mother.

"Here, mother," replied he, "in the red cow's
mouth."

ENQLI8E FAlStT TALES. 167

His mother began to cry and wring her hands ;
but the cow, surprised at the odd noise in her throat,
opened her mouth and let Tom drop out. For.
tunately his mother caught him in her apron as he
was falling to the ground, or he would have been
dreadfully hurt. She then put Tom in her bosom
and ran home with him.

Tom's father made him a whip of a barley straw to
drive the cattle with, and having one day gone into
the fields, he slipped a foot and rolled into the fur-
row. A raven, which was flying over, picked him
up, and flew with him over the sea, and there
dropped him.

A large fish swallowed Tom the moment he fell
into the sea, which was soon after caught, and
bought for the table of King Arthur. When they
opened the fish in order to cook it every one was
astonished to find such a little boy, and Tom was
quite delighted at being free again. They carried
him to the king, who made Tom his dwarf, and he
soon grew a great favorite at court; for by his
tricks and gambols he not only amused the king and
queen, but also all the Knights of the Kound
Table.

It is said that when the king rode out on horse-
back he often took Tom along with him, and if a
shower came on he used to creep into his majesty's

168 ENQLI8H FAIBT TALE&

waistcoat-pocket, where he slept till the rain was
over.

King Arthur one day asked Tom about his
parents, wishing to know if they were as small as
he was, and whether they were well off. Tom told
tne king that his father and mother were as tall as
anybody about the court, but in rather poor circum-
stances. On hearing this the king carried Tom to
his treasury, the place where he kept all his money,
and told him to take as much money as he could carry
home to his parents, which made the poor little fel-
low caper with joy. Tom went immediately to
procure a purse, which was made of a water-bubble,
and then returned to the treasury, where he received
a silver threepenny-piece to put into it.

Our little hero had some difficulty in lifting the
burden upon his back ; but he at last succeeded in
getting it placed to his mind, and set forward on
his journey. However, without meeting with any
accident, and after resting himself more than a
hundred times by the way, in two days and two
nights he reached his father's house in safety.

Tom had traveled forty-eight hours with a huge
silver-piece on his back, and was almost tired to
death, when his mother ran out to meet him, and
carried him into the house. But he soon returned
to court.

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

169

As Tom's clothes had suffered much in the batter-
pudding, and the inside of the fish, his majesty
ordered him a ne\v suit of clothes, and to be mounted
as a knight on a mouse.

Of butterfly's wings his shirt was made,

His boots of chicken's hide;
And by a nimble fairy blade,
"Well learned in the tailoring trade,

His clothing was supplied.
A needle dangled by his side;
A dapper mouse he used to ride,
Thus strutted Tom in stately pride!

It was certainly very diverting to see Tom in
this dress and mounted on the mouse, as he rode out
a-hunting with the king and nobility, who were all

170 ENOLISE FAIRY TALES,

ready to expire with laughter at Tom and his fine
prancing charger.

The king was so charmed with his address that
he ordered a little chair to be made, in order that
Tom might sit upon his table, and also a palace of
gold, a span high, with a door an inch wide, to live
in. He also gave him a coach, drawn by six small
mice.

The queen was so enraged at the honors conferred
on Sir Thomas that she resolved to ruin him, and
told the king that the little knight had been saucy
to her.

The king sent for Tom in great haste, but being
fully aware of the danger of royal anger, he crept
into an empty snail-shell, where he lay for a long
time until he was almost starved with hunger ; but
at last he ventured to peep out, and seeing a fine
large butterfly on the ground, near the place of his
concealment, he got close to it and jumping astride
on it, was carried up into the air. The butterfly
flew with him from tree to tree and from field to
field, and at last returned to the court, where the
king and nobility all strove to catch him ; but at
last poor Tom fell from his seat into a watering-pot,
in which he was almost drowned.

When the queen saw him she was in a rage, and
said he should be beheaded: and he was again

ENGLISH FAIBT TALES. 171

put into a mouse trap until tlie time of his execu-
tion.

However, a cat, observing something alive in the
trap, patted it about till the wires broke, and set
Thomas at liberty.

The king received Tom again into favor, which
he did not live to enjoy, for a large spider one day
attacked him ; and although he drew his sword and
fought well, yet the spider's poisonous breath at
last overcame him.

He fell dead on the ground where he stood,
And the spider suck'd every drop of his blood.

King Arthur and his whole court were so sorry
at the loss of their little favorite that they went into
mourning and raised a fine white marble monument
over his grave with the following epitaph :

Here lies Tom Thumb, King Arthur's knipjlit.
Who died by a spider's cruel bite.
He was well known in Arthur's court,
"Where he afforded gallant sport;
He rode at tilt and tournament,
And on a mouse a-hunting went.
Alive he filled the court with mirth;
His death to sorrow soon gave birth.
Wipe, wipe your eyes, and shake your head
And cry— Alas I Tom Thumb is dead I

ME. FOX.

LADY MARY was young, and Lady Mary was
fair. She had two brothers, and more lovers
than she could count. But of them all, the bravest
and most gallant was a Mr. Fox, whom she met
when she was down at her father's country-house.
No one knew who Mr. Fox was; but he was
certainly brave, and surely rich, and of all her
lovers. Lady Mary cared for him alone. At last it
was agreed upon between them that they should be
married. Lady Mary asked Mr. Fox where they
should live, and he described to her his castle, and
where it was ; but, strange to say, did not ask her
or her brothers to come and see it.

So one day, near the wedding-day, when her
brothers were out, and Mr. Fox was away for a day
or two on business, as he said. Lady Mary set out

ENOLISE FAIRY TALES. 173

for Mr. Fox's castle. And after many searchings
she came at last to it, and a fine strong house it was
with high walls and a deep moat. And when she
came up to the gateway she saw written on it :

"Be bold, heboid."

But as the gate was open she went through it, and
found no one there. So she went up to the door-
way and over it she found written :

" Be bold, be bold, but not too bold."

Still she went on, tiU she came into the hall, and
went up the broad stairs till she came to a door in
the gallery, over which was written :

*' Be bold, be bold, but not too bold,
Lest that your heart's blood should run cold."

But Lady Mary was a brave one, she was, and she
opened the door, and what do you think she saw ?
Why, bodies and skeletons of beautiful young ladies
all stained with blood. So Lady Mary thought it
was high time to get out of that horrid place, and
she closed the door, went through the gallery, and
was just going down the stairs, and out of the hall,
when who should she see through the window but
Mr. Fox dragging a beautiful young lady along
from the gateway to the door. Lady Mary rushed
downstairs, and hid herself behind a cask, just in

174 ElfGLISE FAIRl TALES.

time, as Mr. Fox came in vnXh. the poor Young lady
who seemed to have fainted. Just as he srot near
Lady Marr, Mr, Fox sa^v a diamond ring glittering
on the finger of the voung lady he was dragsring,
and he tried to puU it off. But it was tightly fixed,
and would not come off, so Mr. Fox cursed and
swore, and drew his sword, raised it, and brought it
down upon the hand of the poor lady. The sword
cut off the hand, which jumped up into the air, and
feU of all places in the world into Lady Mary's lap.
Mr. Fox looked about a bit, but did not think of
looking behind the cask, so at last he went on drag-
ging the young lady up the stairs into the Bloody
Chamber.

As soon as she heard him pass through the gallery
Lady Mary crept out of the door, down through the
gateway, and ran home as fast as she could.

Xow it happened that the very next day the mar-
riage contract of Lady Mary and Mr. Fox was to be
signed, and there was a splendid breakfast before
thaL And when Mr. Fox was seated at table
opposite Lady Mary he looked at her. " How pale
you are this morning, my dear."' " Yes," said she,
" I had a bad night's rest last night. I had horrible
dreams." " Dreams go by contraries," said Mr.
Fox ; " but teU us your dream, and your sweet voice
wili make the time pass till the happy hour comes."

ENGLISH FAIRY TAL ES. ITS

* I dreamed,-' said Lady ]^ary, " tliat I Tvent yes-
termom to your castle, and I found it in the woods,
with high walls, and a deep moat, and oyer the gate-
way was written :

"Be bold, be bold-'*

" But it is not so, nor it was not so," said Mr.
Fox.

" And when 1 came to the doorway oyer it wm
written :

" Be bold, be bold, but not too bold."

* It is not so, nor it was not so," said Mr. Fox.

' And then I went upstairs, and came to a gallery,
at the end of which was a door, on which was
written :

" Be bold, be bold, but not too bold,
Lest that your heart's blood should run cold,"

** It is not so, nor it was not so," said Mr. Fox.

**' And then — and then I opened the door, and the
hx)m was filled with bodies and skeletons ot poor
dead women, all stained with their blood."-

" It is not so, nor it was not so. And God forbid
u should be so," said Mr. Fox.

" I then dreamed that I rushed down the gallery,
and just as I was going down the stairs I saw yon,

j,i» BJVGLISn FAIRY TALES.

Mr. Fox, coming up to the hall door, dragging aftei
you a poor young lady, rich and beautiful."

" It is not so, nor it was not so. And God forbid
it should be so," said Mr. Fox.

"1 rushed downstairs, just in time to hide myself
behind a cask, when you, Mr. Fox, came in dragging
the young lady by the arm. And as you passed
me, Mr. Fox, I thought I saw you try and get off
her diamond ring, and when you could not, Mr.
Fox, it seemed to me in my dream, that you out
with your sword and hacked off the poor lady's
hand to get the ring."

" It is not so, nor it was not so. And God forbid
it should be so," said Mr. Fox, and was going to say
something else as he rose from his seat, when Lady
Mary cried out :

" But it is so, and it was so. Here's hand and
ring I have to show," and pulled out the lady's
hand from her dress, and pointed it straight at Mr.
Fox.

At once her brothers and her friends drew their
pwcrds and cut Mr. Fox into a thousand pieces.

LAZY JACK.

ONCE upon a time there was a boy whose name
was Jack, and he lived with his mother od
a common. They were very poor, and the old
woman got her living by spinning, but Jack was so
lazy that he would do nothing but bask in the sua
in the hot weather, and sit by the corner of the

178 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

hearth in the winter-time. So they called him lazy
Jack. His mother could not get him to do any-
thing for her, and at last told him, one Monday,
>hat if he did not begin to work for his porridge
she would turn him out to get his living as he
could.

This roused Jack, and he went out and hired him
self for the next day to a neighboring farmer for a
penny ; but as he was coming home, never having had
any money before, he lost it in passing over a brook.
"You stupid boy," said his mother, "you should
have put it in your pocket." " I'll do so another
time," replied Jack.

On "Wednesday Jack went out again and hired
himself to a cowkeeper, who gave him a jar of milk
for his day's work. Jack took the jar and put it
into the large pocket of his jacket, spilling it all,
long before he got home. " Dear me !" said the old
jToman ; " you should have carried it on your head."
•* I'll do so another time," said Jack.

So on Thursday Jack hired himself again to a
farmer, who agreed to give him a cream cheese for
his services. In the evening Jack took the cheese,
and went home with it on his head. By the time
he got home the cheese was all spoiled, part of it,
being lost, and part matted with his hair. " You
stupid lout," said his mother, "you should have car-

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. I79

ried it very carefully in your hands." " I'll do so
another time," replied Jack.

On Friday Lazy Jack again went out, and hired
himself to a baker, who would give him nothing for
his work but a large tom-cat. Jack took the cat,
and began carrying it very carefully in his hands,
but in a short time pussy scratched him so much
that he was compelled to let it go. When he got
home his mother said to him, " You silly fellow,
you should have tied it with a string, and dragged
it along after you." " I'll do so another time," said
Jack.

So on Saturday Jack hired himself to a butcher,
who rewarded him by the handsome present of a
shoulder of mutton. Jack took the mutton, tied it
to a string, and trailed it along after him in the
dirt, so that by the time he had got home the meat
was completely spoiled. His mother was this time
quite out of patience with him, for the next day
was Sunday, and she was obliged to do with cab-
bage for her dinner. " You ninney-hammer," said
she to her son ; " you should have carried it on your
shoulder." " I'll do so another time," replied Jack.

On the next Monday Lazy Jack went once more,
and hired himself to a cattle-keeper, who gave him
a donkey for his trouble. Jack found it hard to
hoist the donkey on his shoulders, but at last he did

180 ENOLISH FATET TALES.

it, and began walking slowly home with his prize.
Kow it happened that in the course of his journey
there lived a rich man with his only daughter, a
beautiful girl, but deaf and dumb. Now she had
never laughed in her life, and the doctors said she
would never speak till somebody made her laugh.
This young lady happened to be looking out of the
window when Jack was passing with the donkey on
his shoulders, with the legs sticking up in the air,
and the sight was so comical and strange that she
burst out into a great fit of laughter, and immedi-
ately recovered her speech and hearing. Her father
was overjoyed, and fulfilled his promise by marry-
ing her to Lazy Jack, who was thus made a rich
gentleman. They lived in a large house, and Jack's
mother K> V«4 with them in great happiness until she
died.

«oi»<ta»i"

JOHNNY-CAKE.

ONCE upon a time there was an old man, and
an old woman, and a little boy. One morn-
ing the old woman made a Johnny-cake, and put it
in the oven to bake. " You watch the Johnny-cake
while your father and I go out to work in the
garden." So the old man and the old woman went
out and began to hoe potatoes, and left the little
boy to tend the oven. But he didn't watch it all
the time, and all of a sudden he heard a noise, and
he looked up and the oven door popped open, and
out of the oven jumped Johnny-cake, and went roYL
ing along end over end, toward the open door of the
house. The little boy ran to shut the door, but
Johnny-cake was too quick for him and rolled
through the door, down the steps, and out into the
road long before the little boy could catch him.

182 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

The little boy ran after him as fast as he could clip
it, crying out to his father and mother, who heard
the uproar, and threw down their hoes and gave
chase too. But Johnny-cake outran all three a long
way, and was soon out of sight, while they had to
sit down, all out of breath, on a bank to rest.

On went Johnny-cake, and by and by he came to
two well-diggers who looked up from their work
and called out : " "Where ye going, Johnny-cake ?"

He said : " I've outrun an old man, and an old
woman, and a little boy, and I can outrun you
too-o-o !"

"Ye can, can ye? we'U see about that!" said
they; and they threw down their picks and ran
after him, but couldn't catch up with him, and soon
they had to sit down by the roadside to rest.

On ran Johnny-cake, and by and by he came to
two ditch-diggers who were digging a ditch.
" Where ye going, Johnny-cake ?" said they. He
said : " I've outrun an old man, and an old woman,
and a little boy, and two well-diggers, and I can
outrun you too-o-o !"

" Ye can, can ye ? we'll see about that !" said
they ; and they threw down their spades, and ran
after him too. But Johnny-cake soon outstripped
them also, and seeing they could never catch him,
they gave up the chase and sat down to rest.

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

183

On went Johnny-cake, and by and by he came to
a bear. The bear said : " Where are ye going,
Johnny-cake ?"

"He said : " I've outrun an old man, and an old
woman, and a little boy, and two well-diggers, and
two ditch-diggers, and I can outrun you too-o-o !"

" Ye can, can ye ?" growled the bear, " we'll see
about that !" and trotted as fast as his legs could
carry him after Johnny-cake, who never stopped to
look behind him. Before long the bear was left so far
behind that he saw he might as well give up the
hunt first as last, so he stretched himself out by the
roadside to rest.

On went Johnny-cake, and by and by he came to
a wolf. The wolf said : ^'' Where ye going, Johnny-
cake?"

184 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

He said : " I've outrun an old man, and an old
woman, and a little boy, and two well-diggers, and
two ditch-diggers, and a bear, and I can outrun you
too-o-o !"

" Ye can, can ye ?" snarled the wolf, " we'll see
about that !" And he set into a gallop after Johnny-
cake, who went on and on so fast that the wolf too
saw there was no hope of overtaking him, and he
too lay down to rest.

On went Johnny-cake, and by and by he came to
a fox that lay quietly in a corner of the fence. The
fox called out in a sharp voice, but without getting
up : " Where ye going. Johnny-cake ?"

He said: "I've outrun an old man, and an old
woman, and a little boy, and two well-diggers, and
two ditch-diggers, a bear, and a wolf, and I can out-
run you too-o-o !"

The fox said : " I can't quite hear you, Johnny-
cake, won't you come a little closer?" turning his
head a little to one side.

Johnny-cake stopped his race for the first time,
and went a little closer, and called out in a very
loud voice : " Tve outrun an old man^ and a/n old
womam,, and a little hoy, and two well-diggers, and
two ditch-diggers, and a hear, and a wolf, and I can
outrun you too-o-o /"

" Can't quite hear you ; won't vou come a little

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

185

closer ?" said the fox in a feeble voice, as he stretched
out his neck toward Johnny-cake, and put one paw
behind his ear.

Johnny-cake came up close, and leaning toward
the fox screamed out : " I've outrun an old man, and

AN OLD WOMAN, AND A LITTLE BOY, AND TWO WELL-
DIGGERS, AND TWO DITCH-DIGGERS, AND A BEAR, AND
A WOLF, AND I CAN OUTRUN YOU TOO-O-O !"

" You can, can you ?" yelped the fox, and he
snapped up the Johnny-cake in his sharp teeth in
the twinkling of an eye.

EAEL MAE'S DAUGHTEK.

ONE fine summer's day Earl Mar's daughter
went into the castle garden, dancing and trip-
ping along. And as she played and sported she
would stop from time to time to listen to the musio
of the birds. After awhile as she sat under the
shade of a green oak-tree she looked up and spied a
sprightly dove sitting high up on one of its branches.
She looked up and said : " Coo-my-dove, my dear,
come down to me and I will give you a golden cage
I'll take you home and pet you well, as well as any
bird of them all." Scarcely had she said these
words when the dove flew down from the branch

ENOLISH FAIRT TALES. 187

and settled on her shoulder, nestling up against her
neck while she smoothed its feathers. Then she
took it home to her own room.

The day was done and the night came on and
Earl Mar's daughter was thinking of going to sleep
when, turning round, she found at her side a hand-
some young man. She was startled, for the door
had been locked for hours. But she was a brave
girl and said : " What are you doing here, young
man, to come and startle me so ? The door was
barred these hours ago ; how ever did you come
here ?"

" Hush ! hush !" the young man whispered. *' I
Was that cooing dove that you coaxed from off the
tree."

" But who are you then ?" she said quite low ;
" and how came you to be changed into that dear
little bird ?"

"My name is Florentine, and my mother is a
queen, ay, and more than a queen, for she knows
many a magic spell, and because I would not do as
she wished she turned me into a dove by day, but
at night her spells lose their power and I become a
man again. To-day I crossed the sea and saw you
for the first time, and I was glad to be a bird that I
could come near you. Unless you love me, I shall
never be happy mora"

188 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

" But if I love you," says she, " will you not iiy
away and leave me one of these fine days ?"

" Never, never," said the prince ; " be my wife
and I'll be yours forever. By day a bird, by night
a prince, I will always be by your side."

So they were married in secret and lived happily
in the castle and no one knew that every night
Coo-my-dove became Prince Florentine. And every
year a little son came to them as bonny as bonny
could be. But as each son was born Prince Floren-
tine carried the little thing away on his back over
the sea where the queen, his mother, lived, and left
the little one with her.

Seven years passed thus, and then a great trouble
came to them. For the Earl Mar wished to marry
his daughter to a noble of high degree, who came
wooing her. Her father pressed her sore ; but she
said : " Father dear, I do not wish to marry ; I can
be quite happy with Coo-my-dove here."

Then her father got into a mighty rage and swore
a great, great oath, and said : " To-morrow, so sure
as I live and eat, I'll twist your bird's neck," and
out he stamped from her room.

"Oh, oh!" said Coo-my-dove; "it's time that I
was away," and so he jumped upon the window-sill
and in a moment was flying away. And he flew
and he flew till he was over the deep, deep sea, and

ENGLISH FAIR Y TAL E8. 189

yet on he flew till he came to his mother's castle.
Kow the queen, his mother, was taking her walk
abroad when she saw the pretty dove flying over-
head and alighting on the castle walls.

" Here, dancers, come and dance your jigs," she
called, " and pipers, pipe you well, for here's my
own Florentine, come back to me to stay, for he's
brought no bonny boy with him this time."

" ISTo, mother," said Florentine, " no dancers for
me, and no minstrels, for my dear wife, the mother
of my seven boys, is to be wed to-morrow, and sad's
the day for me."

" What can I do, my son ?" said the queen ; " tell
me, and it shall be done if my magic has power to
do it."

" Well, then, mother dear, turn the twenty-four
dancers and pipers into twenty -four gray herons,
and let my seven sons become seven white swans,
and let me be a goshawk and their leader,"

" Alas ! alas ! my son," she said, " that may not
be; my magic reaches not so far. But perhaps
my teacher, the spaewife of Ostree, may know
better."

And away she hurried to the cave of Ostree, and
after awhile came out as white as white can be and
muttering over some burning herbs she brought out
of the cave. Suddenly Coo-my-dove changed into s

19C ENCfzISH FAIRY TALES.

goshawk, and around him flew twenty-four gra;^
herons, and above them flew seven cygnets.

Without word or good-by off they flew over the
deep blue sea, which was tossing and moaning.
They flew and they flew till they swooped down on
Earl Mar's castle just as the wedding party were
settinsr out for the church. First came the men-at-
arms, and then the bridegroom's friends, and then
Earl Mar's men, and then the bridegroom, and
lastly, pale and beautiful. Earl Mar's daughter her-
self. Slowly, slowly they moved to stately music
till they came past the trees on which the birds
were settling A w^ord from Prince Florentine, the
goshawk, and all rose into the air, herons beneath,
cygnets above, and goshawk circling above all. The
weddineers wondered at the sight, when, swoop!
the herons were down among them, scattering the
men-at-arms. The swanlets took charge of the
bride, while the goshawk dashed down and tied the
bridegroom to a tree. Then the herons gathered
themselves together into one feather-bed, and the
cygnets placed their mother upon them, and sud-
denly they all rose in the air, bearing the bride
away with them in safety toward Prince Floren-
tine's home. Surely, a wedding-party was never so
disturbed in this world, "What could the weddineers
do ? They saw their pretty bride carried away and

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

191

away till she and the herons and the swans and the
goshawk disappeared, and that very day Prince
Florentine brought Earl Mar's daughter to the
castle of the queen, his mother, who took the spell
off him, and they lived happy ever afterward.

ME. MIACCA.

TOMMY GEIMES was sometimes a good boy,
and sometimes a bad boy ; and when he was
a bad boy, he was a very bad boy. Now his mother
used to say to him : " Tommy, Tommy, be a good
boy, and don't go out of the street, or else Mr.
Miacca will take you." But still when he was a
bad bo3" he would go out of the street ; and one day,
sure enough, he had scarcely got round the corner,
when Mr. Miacca did catch him and popped him

ENOLISE FAIRT TALES. 193

into a bag upside down, and took him off to his
house.

When Mr. Miacca got Tommy inside he pulled
him out of the bag and set him down, and felt his
arms and legs. " You're rather tough," says he ;
"but you're all I've got for supper, and you'll not
taste bad boiled. But body o' me, I've forgot the
herbs, and it's bitter you'll taste without herbs.
Sally ! Here, I say, Sally !" and he called Mrs.
Miacca.

So Mrs. Miacca came out of another room and
said : " What d'ye want, my dear ?"

" Oh, here's a little boy for supper," said Mr.
Miacca, " and I've forgot the herbs. Mind him,
will ye, while I go for them."

" All right, my love," says Mrs. Miacca, and off
he goes.

Then Tommy Grimes said to Mrs. Miacca :
"Does Mr. Miacca always have little boys for
supper?"

" Mostly, my dear," said Mrs. Miacca, " if little
boys are bad enough, and get in his way."

" And don't you have anything else but boy-meat ?
Ko pudding ?" asked Tommy.

" Ah, I loves pudding," says Mrs. Miacca. " But
it's not often the likes of me gets pudding."

^ Why, my mother is making a pudding this very

194 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

day," said Tommy Grimes, " and I am sure she'd
give you some, if I ask her. Shall I run and get
some ?"

"Now, that's a thoughtful boy," said Mrs.
Miacca, " only don't be long and be sure to be back
for supper."

So off Tommy peltered, and right glad he was to
get off so cheap ; and for many a long day he was
as good as good could be, and never went round the
corner of the street. But he couldn't always be
good ; and one day he went round the corner, and
as luck would have it, he hadn't scarcely got round
it when Mr. Miacca grabbed him up, popped him
in his bag, and took him home.

When he got him there, Mr. Miacca dropped him
out; and when he saw him, he said : "Ah, youVe
the youngster that served me and my missus such a
shabby trick, leaving us without any supper. Well,
you shan't do it again. I'll watch over you myself.
Here, get under the sofa, and I'll set on it and watch
the pot boil for you."

So poor Tommy Grimes had to creep under the
sofa, and Mr. Miacca sate on it and waited for the
pot to boil. And they waited, and they waited, but
still the pot didn't boil, till at last Mr. Miacca got
tired of waiting, and he said : " Here, you under

ENGLISH FAIRT TALES.

195

there, I'm not going to wait any longer ; put out
your leg, and I'll stop your giving us the slip."

So Tommy put out a leg, and Mr. Miacca got a
chopper, and chopped it off, and pops it in the pot.

Suddenly he calls out : " Sally, ray dear, Sally !"
and nobody answered. So he went into the next
room to look out for Mrs. Miacca, and while he was
there Tommy crept out from under the sofa and
ran out of the door. For it was a leg of the sofa
that he had put out.

So Tommy Grimes ran home, and he never went
round the corner again till he was old enough to go
alone.

^V^HITTINGTON AND HIS CAT,

TN" the reign of the famous King Edward III.
-■- there was a little boy called Dick Whittington,
whose father and mother died when he was very
young.

As poor Dick was not old enough to work, he was
very badly off ; he got but little for his dinner, and
sometimes nothing at all for his breakfast ; for the
people who lived in the village were very poor in-
deed, and could not spare him much more than the
parings of potatoes, and now and then a hard crust
of bread.

ISTow Dick had heard many, many very strange
things about the great city called London ; for the

EJSrOLISH FAIRY TALES. 197

country people at that time thought that folks in
London were all fine gentlemen and ladies ; and
that there was singing and music there all day
long; and that the streets were all paved with
gold.

One day a large wagon and eight horses, all with
bells at their heads, drove through the village while
Dick was standing by the sign-post. He thought
that this wagon must be going to the fine town of
London ; so he took courage, and asked the wagoner
*o let him walk with him by the side of the
vagon.

As soon as the wagoner heard that poor Dick had
no father or mother, and saw by his ragged clothes
that he could not be worse off than he was, he
told him he might go if he would, so off they set
together.

So Dick got safe to London, and was in such a
hurry to see the fine streets paved all over with
gold that he did not even stay to thank the kind
wagoner, but ran off as fast as his legs would carry
him, through many of the streets, thinking every
moment to come to those that were paved with gold ;
for Dick had seen a guinea three times in his own
little village, and remembered what a deal of money
it brought in change ; so he thought he had nothing
to do but to take up some little bits of the pave-

198 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

ment, and should then have as much money as he
could wish for.

Poor Dick ran till he was tired, and had quite
forgot his friend the wagoner ; but at last, finding
it grow dark, and that every way he turned he saw
nothing but dirt instead of gold, he sat down in a
dark corner and cried himself to sleep.

Little Dick was all night in the streets ; and next
morning, being very hungry, he got up and walked
about, and asked everybody he met to give him a
halfpenny to keep him from starving ; but nobody
stayed to answer him, and only two or three gave
him a halfpenny ; so that the poor boy was soon
quite weak and faint for the want of victuals.

In this distress he asked charity of several people,
and one of them sa'd crossly : " Go to work for an
idle rogue." " That I will," says Dick, " I will go
to work for ycu, if you will let me." Bui the man
only cursed at mm and went on.

At last a goodnatured looking gentleman saw
how hungry he looked. "Why don't you go to
work, my lad?'-* said he to Dick. " That I would,
but I do not know how to get any," answered Dick.
" If you are willing come along with me," said the
gentleman, and took him to a hay-fieid, where Dick
worked briskly, and lived merrily till the hay N^aij
made.

ENGLISH FAIBT TALES. 199

After this he found himself as badly off as before ;
and being almost starved again, he laid himself down
at the door of Mr. Fitz warren, a rich merchant.
Here he was soon seen by the cook-maid, who was
an ill-tempered creature, and happened just then to
be very busy dressing dinner for her master and
mistress ; so she called out to poor Dick : " "What
business have you there, you lazy rogue ? there is
nothing else but beggars ; if you do not take your-
self away we will see how you will like a sousing of
some dishwater ; I have some here hot enough to
make you jump."

Just at that time Mr. Fitz warren himself came
home to dinner ; and when he saw a dirty, ragged
boy lying at the door he said to him : " Why
do you lie there, my boy ? You seem old enough
to work; I am afraid you are inclined to be
lazy,"

" No, indeed, sir," said Dick to him, " that is not
the case, for I would work with all my heart, but I
do not know anybody, and I believe I am very sick
for the want of food."

"Poor fellow, get up; let me see what ails
you."

Dick now tried to rise, but was obliged to lie
down again, being too weak to stand, for he had not
eaten any food for three days, and was no longer

200 ENGLISH FAIRT TALES,

able to run about and beg a halfpenny of people in
the street. So the kind merchant ordered him to be
taken into the house, and have a good dinner given
him, and be kept to do what work he was able to do
for the cook.

Little Dick would have lived very happy in this
good family if it had not been for the ill-natured
cook. She used to say : " You are under me, so
look sharp ; clean the spit and the dripping-pan,
make the fires, wind up the jack, and do all the
scullery work nimbly, or — " and she would shake
the ladle at him. Besides, she was so fond of bast-
ing that when she had no meat to baste she would
baste poor Dick's head and shoulders with a broom,
or anything else that happened to fall in her way.
At last her ill-usage of him was told to Alice, Mr.
Fitzwarren's daughter, who told the cook that she
should be turned away if she did not treat him
kinder.

The behavior of the cook was now a little better ;
but besides this Dick had another hardship to get
over. His bed stood in a garret, where there were
so many holes in the floor and the walls that every
night he was tormented with rats and mice. A
gentleman having given Dick a penny for cleaning
his shoes, he thought he would buy a cat with it.
The next day he saw a girl with a cat, and asked

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 201

her, " Will you let me have that cat for a penny ?"
The girl said : " Yes, that I will, master, though she
is an excellent mo user."

Dick hid his cat in the garret, and always took
care to carry a part of his dinner to her ; and in a
short time he had no more trouble with the rats and
mice, but slept quite sound every night.

Soon after this his master had a ship ready to
sail ; and as it was the custom that all his servants
should have some chance for good fortune as well
himself, he called them all into the parlor and asked
them what they would send out.

They all had something that they were willing to
venture except poor Dick, who had neither money
nor goods, and therefore could send nothing. For
this reason he did not come into the parlor with the
rest ; but Miss Alice guessed what was the matter,
and ordered him to be called in. She then said : " I
will lay down some money for him, from my own
purse ;" but her father told her : " This will not do,
for it must be something of his own."

When poor Dick heard this he said : " I have
nothing but a cat which I bought for a penny some
time since of a little girl."

"Fetch your cat then, my lad," said Mr. Fitz-
warren, " and let her go."

Dick went upstairs and brought down poor puss,

303 ENaLISH FAIRY TALE3.

with tears in his eyes, and gave her to the oaptain ;
" For," he said, " I shall now be kept awake all
night by the rats and mice." All the company
laughed at Dick's odd venture; and
Miss Alice, who felt pity for him,
gave him some money with
which to buy another cat.

This, and many other ^ |^ marks of kind-
ness shown him by
Miss Alice, made the ill-
tempered cook jealous of poor
Dick, and she began to use him
more cruelly than ever, and always made
game of him for sending his cat to sea. She
asked him : " Do you think your cat will sell
for as much money as would buy a stick to
beat you ?"

At last poor Dick could not bear this usage any
longer, and he thought he would run away from his
place ; so he packed up his few things, and started
Very early in the morning, on All-hallows Day, the
first of ISTovember, He walked as far as Holloway ;
and there sat doAvn on a stone, which to this day is
called " Whittington's Stone," and began to think to
himself which road he should take.

While he was thinking what he should do, the
bells of Bow Church, which at that time were only

ENGLISH FAIRT TALES. 203

six, began to ring, and their sound seemed to saj to
him:

*' Turn again, "Whittington,
Thrice lord mayor of London."

" Lord mayor of London !" said he to himself,
" Why, to be sure, I would put up with almost any-
thing now, to be lord mayor of London, and ride in
a fine coach, when I grow to be a man ! Well, I
will go back, and think nothing of the cuffing and
scolding of the old cook, if I am to be lord mayor
of London at last."

Dick went back, and was lucky enough to get into
the house, and set about his work, before the old
cook came downstairs.

We must now follow Miss Puss to the coast of
Africa, The ship, with the cat on board, was a long
time at sea ; and was at last driven by the Avinds on
a part of the coast of Barbary, where the only peo-
ple were the Moors, unknown to the English. The
people came in great numbers to see the sailors, be-
cause they were of different color to themselves, and
treated them civilly ; and, when they became better
acquainted, were very eager to buy the fine things
that the ship was loaded with.

When the captain saw this, he sent patterns of
the best things he had to the king of the country ;
who was so much pleased with them that be sent

204 ENGLISH FATRT TALWS.

for the captain to the palace. Here they were
placed, as it is the custom of the country, on rich
carpets flowered with gold and silver. The king
and queen were seated at the upper end of the room ;
and a number of dishes were brought in for dinner
They had not sat long, when a vast number of rats
and mice rushed in, and devoured all the meat in an
instant. The captain wondered at this, and asked
if these vermin were not unpleasant.

" Oh, yes," said they, " very offensive ; and the
king would give half his treasure to be freed of
them, for they not only destroy his dinner, as you
see, but they assault him in his chamber, and even
in bed, so that he is obliged to be watched while he
is sleeping, for fear of them."

The captain jumped for joy ; he remembered poor
"Whittington and his cat, and told the king he had a
creature on board the ship that would dispatch all
these vermin immediately. The king jumped so
high at the joy which the news gave him that his
turban dropped off his head. " Bring this creature
to me," says he ; " vermin are dreadful in a court,
and if she will perform what you say, I will load
your ship with gold and jewels in exchange for
her."

The captain, who knew his business, took this
opportunity to set forth the merits of Miss Puss

ENGLISH FAIRT TALES. 2Ud

He told his majesty : " It is not very convenient to
part with her, as, when she is gone, the rats and
mice may destroy the goods in the ship — but to
oblige your majesty I will fetch her."

" Run, run !" said the queen ; " I am impatient to
see the dear creature."

Away went the captain to the ship, while another
dinner was got ready. He put Puss under his arm,
and arrived at the place just in time to see the table
fuU of rats. When the cat saw them she did not
wait for bidding, but jumped out of the captain's
arms, and in a few minutes laid almost all the rats
and mice dead at her feet. The rest of them in
their fright scampered away to their holes.

The king was quite charmed to get rid so easily
of such plagues, and the queen desired that the
creature who had done them so great a kindness
might be brought to her, that she might look at
her. Upon which the captain called : " Pussy,
pussy, pussy !" and she came to him. He then
presented her to the queen, who started back, and
was afraid to touch a creature who had made such a
havoc among the rats and mice. However, when
the captain stroked the cat and called : " Pussy,
pu*::/,'' tae qr^een also touched her and cried:
" Putty, putty," for she had not learned Englisho
He then ijut her down on the queen's lap, where sha

sou ENGLISH FAIBT TALES.

pivred and played with her majesty^s hand, and
then purred herself to sleep.

The king, having seen the exploits of Mrs. Puss,
and being informed that her kittens would stock the
whole country, and keep it free from rats, bargained
with the captain for the whole ship's cargo, and
then gave him. ten times as much for the cat as all
the rest amounted to.

The captain then took leave of the royal party,
and set sail with a fair wind for England, and after
a happy voyage arrived safe in London.

One morning, early, Mr. Fitzwarren had just
come to his counting-house and seated himself at the
desk, to count over the cash, and settle the business
for the day, when somebody came tap, tap, at the
door.

" Who's there ?" said Mr. Fitzwarren. " A
friend," answered the other ; " I come to bring you
good news of your ship Unicorn." The merchant,
bustling up in such a hurry that he forgot his gout,
opened the door, and who should he see waiting but
the captain and factor, with a cabinet of jewels, and
a bill of lading ; when he looked at this the merchan'}
lifted up his eyes and thanked Heaven for sending
him such a prosperous voyage.

They then told the story of the cat, and showed
the rich present that the king and queen iiad sen:

EN0LI8E FAIHT TALES. 207

for her to poor Dick. As soon as the merchant
heard this he called out his servants :

" Go send him in, and tell him of his fame;
Pr»v call him Mr. Whittington by name."

Mr. Fitz warren now showed himself to be a good
man ; for when some of his servants said so great a
treasure was too much for him, he answered:
" God forbid I should deprive him of the value of a
single penny, it is his own, and he shall have it to a
farthing." He then sent for Dick, who was
scouring pots for the cook, and was quite dirty. He
would have excused himself from coming into the
counting-house, saying, " The room is swept, and
my shoes are dirty and full of hob-nails." But the
merchant ordered him to come in.

Mr. Fitzwarren ordered a chair to be set for him,
and so he began to think they were making game of
him, at the same time said to them : " Do not play
tricks with a poor simple boy, but let me go down
again, if you please, to my work."

" Indeed, Mr, Whittington," said the merchant,
" we are all quite in earnest with you, and I most
heartily rejoice in the news that these gentlemen
have brought you ; for the captain has sold your cat
to the king of Barbary, and brought you in return
for her more riches than I possess in the whole
w^orld ; and I wish you may long enjoy them !"

208 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

Mr. Fitzwarren then told the men to open the
great treasure they had brought with them ; and
said : " Mr. Whittington has nothing to do but to
put it in some place of safety."

Poor Dick hardly knew how to behave himself
for joy. He begged his master to take what part of
it he pleased, since he owed it all to his kindness.
" !No, no," answered Mr, Fitzwarren, " this is all your
own ; and I have no doubt but you will use it well."

Dick next asked his mistress, and then Miss Alice,
to accept a part of his good fortune; but they
would not, and at the same time told him they felt
great joy at his good success. But this poor fellow
was too kind-hearted to keep it all to himself ; so he
made a present to the captain, the mate, and the
rest of Mr. Fitzwarren's servants ; and even to the
ill-natured old cook.

After this Mr. Fitzwarren advised him to send
for a proper tailor and get himself dressed like a
gentleman ; and told him he was welcome to live in
liis house till he could provide himself with a better.

"When "Whittington's face was washed, his hair
curled, his hat cocked, and he was dressed in a nica
suit of clothes he was as handsome and genteel as
any young man who visited at Mr. Fitzwarren's ; so
that Miss Alice, who had once been so kind to him,
and thought of him with pity, now looked upon him

ENGLISH FAIBT TALES. 209

as fit to be her sweetheart ; and the more so, no
doubt, because Whittington was now always think-
ing what he could do to oblige her, and making her
the prettiest presents that could be.

Mr. Fitzwarren soon saw their love for each other,
and proposed to join them in marriage ; and to this
they both readily agreed. A day for the wedding
was soon fixed ; and they were attended to church
by the lord mayor, the court of aldermen, the
sheriffs, and a great number of the richest mer-
chants in London, whom they afterward treated
with a very rich feast.

History tells us that Mr. Whittington and his
lady lived in great splendor, and were very happy.
They had several children. He was sheriff of Lon-
don, thrice lord mayor, and received the honor of
knighthood by Henry Y.

He entertained this king and his queen at dinner
after his conquest of France so grandl}'' that the
king said : " Never had prince such a subject ;"
when Sir Richard heard this, he said : " Never had
subject such a prince."

The figure of Sir Richard "Whittington with his
cat in his arms, carved in stone, was to be seen till
the year 1780 over the archway of the old prison of
Newgate, which he built for criminals.

THE STKANGE VISITOR.

A WOMAN was sitting at her reel one night ;
And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still
she wished for company.

In came pair of broad broad soles, and sat down at
the fireside ;
And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she
wished for company.

In came a pair of small small legs, and sat down on
the broad broad soles ;
And still she sat, and still she reeled, and stiU she
wished for company.

In came a pair of thick thick knees, and sat down
on the small small legs ;
And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she
wished for company.

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 211

In came a pair of thin thin thighs, and sat down on
the thick thick knees ;
And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she
wished for company.

In came a pair of huge huge hips, and sat down on
the thin thin thighs ;
And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she
wished for company.

In came a wee wee waist, and sat down on the huge
huge hips ;
And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still sha
wished for company.

In came a pair of broad broad shoulders, and sat
down on the wee wee waist ;
And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she
wished for company.

In came a pair of small small arms, and sat down on
the broad broad shoulders ;
And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she
wished for company.

In came a pair of huge huge hands, and sat down
on the small small arms ;
And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still sh©
wished for company.

213 ENGLISH FAIR T TALES.

In came a small small neck, and sat dovm on the
broad broad shoulders ;
And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she
wished for company.

In came a huge huge head, and sat down on the
small small neck.

" How did you get such broad broad feet ?" quoth

the woman.
" Much tramping, much tramping " (gruffl/y).

" How did you get such small small legs ?"

" Aih-h-h ! — ^late — and wee-e-e — moul " {whiningly),

" How did you get such thick thick knees ?"
" Much praying, much praying " {jpiously).

*' How did you get such thin thin thighs ?"
"Aih-h-h I — late — andw ee-e-e — moul " {whiningly).

" How did you get such big big hips ?"
" Much sitting, much sitting " {gruffly).

** How did you get such a wee wee waist ?'*

" Aih-h-h ! — late — and wee-e-e — moul {whiningly).

" How did you get such broad broad shoulders ?"
" With carrying broom, with carrying broom "
igrufflA/).

ENGLISH FAIRT TALES. 313

** How did you get such small small arms ?"

" Aih-h-h ! — late — and wee-e-e— moul " {whiningl/y)r

" How did you get such huge huge hands ?"
"Threshing with an iron flail, threshing with an
iron flail " {gruffly).

" How did you get such a small small neck ?"
" Aih-h-h ! — late — wee-e-e — moul " {joitifuUy).

" How did you get such a huge huge head ?"
" Much knowledge, much knowledge " {keenly),

" What do you come for ?"

" For you !" {At the tap of the voice, with a warn oj
the arm mid a stam^ of theftet^

214 ENGLISH FAIRT TALES.

THE LAIDLY WORM OF SPINDLESTON
HEUGH.

IK Bamborough Castle once lived a king who had
a fair wife and two children, a son named
Childe Wynd and a daughter named Margaret.
Childe "Wynd went forth to seek his fortune, and
soon after he had gone the queen his mother died
The king mourned her long and faithfully, but one
day while he was hunting he came across a lady of
great beauty, and fell so much in love with her that
he determined to marry her. So he sent word homo
that he was going to bring a new queen to Bam'
borough Castle.

Princess Margaret was not very glad to hear cf
her mother's place being taken, but she did not rfc*"
pine, but did her father's bidding, and at the ap
pointed day came down to the castle gate with the
keys all ready to hand over to her stepmother.
Soon the procession drew near, and the new queen
came toward Princess Margaret, who bowed low
and handed her the keys of the castle. She stood

ENGLISH FAIRT TALES. 215

there with blushing cheeks and eye on ground, and
said : " O welcome, father dear, to your halls and
bowers, and welcome to you, my new mother, for
all that's here is yours," and again she offered the
keys. One of the king's knights who had escorted
the new queen cried out in admiration : " Surely
tbis northern princess is the loveliest of her kind."
At that the new queen flushed up and cried out :
" At least your courtesy might have excepted me,"
and then she muttered below her breath : " I'll soon
put an end to her beauty."

That same night the queen, who was a noted
witch, stole dotvn to a lonely dungeon wherein she
did her magic, and with spells three times three, and
with passes nine times nine she cast Princess Mar-
garet under her spell. And this was her spell :

I weird ye to be a Laidly Worm,

And borrowed shall ye never be,
Until Childe Wynd, the king's own son,

Come to the Heugh and thrice kiss thee;
Until the world comes to an end,

Borrowed shall ye never be.

So Lady Margaret went to bed a beauteous maiden,
and rose up a Laidly "Worm. And when her
maidens came in to dress her in the morning they
found coiled up on the bed a dreadful dragon,
which uncoiled itself and came toward them. But

816 ENGLISH FAIB7 TALES. -

they ran away shrieking, and the Laidly AVorm
crawled and crept, and crept and crawled till it
reached the Heugh or rock of the Spindleston,
round which it coiled itself, and lay there basking
with its terrible snout in the air.

Soon the country round about had reason to know
of the Laidly Worm of Spindleston Heugh. For
hunger drove the monster out from its cave and it
used to devour everything it could come across.
So at last they went to a mighty warlock and asked
him what they should do Then he consulted his
works and his familiar, and told them: "The
Laidly Worm is really the Princess Margaret, and
it is hunger that drives her forth to do such deeds.
Put aside for her seven kine, and each day as the
sun goes down, carry every drop of milk they yield
to the stone trough at the foot of the Heugh, and
the Laidly Worm will trouble the country no
longer. But if ye would that she be borrowed to
her natural shape, and that she who bespelled her
be rightly punished, send over the seas for her
brother, Childe Wynd."

All was done as the warlock advised, the Laidly
Worm lived on the milk of the seven kine, and the
country was troubled no longer. But when Childe
Wynd heard the news he swore a mighty oath to
rescue his sister and revenge her on her cruel ste>

" ENGLISH FAIR T TALES. 21f

mother. And thirty-three of his men took the oath
with him. Then they set to work and built a long
ship, and its keel they made of the rowan tree.
And when all was ready they out with their oars
and pulled sheer for Bamborough Keep.

But as they came near the keep the stepmother
felt by her magic power that something was being
wrought against her, so she summoned her familiar
imps and said : " Childe Wynd is coming over the
seas; he must never land. Raise storms, or bore
the hull, but nohow must he touch shore." Then
the imps went forth to meet Childe Wynd's ship,
but when they got near they found they had no
power over the ship, for its keel was made of the
rowan tree. So back they came to the queen witch,
who knew not what to do. She ordered her men-
at-arms to resist Childe Wynd if he should land
near them, and by her spells she caused the Laidly
"Worm to wait by the entrance of the harbor.

As the ship came near the Worm unfolded its
Boils, and, dipping into the sea, caught hold of the
ship of Childe "Wynd, and banged it off the shore.
Three times Childe Wynd urged his men on to row
bravely and strong, but each time the Laidlj Worm
kept it off the shore. Then Childe Wynd ordered
the ship to be put about, and the witch-queen
thought he had given up the attempt. But instead

218 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES,

of that he only rounded the next point and landed
safe and sound in Budle Creek, and then, with
sword drawn and bow bent, rushed up, followed by
his men, to fight the terrible Worm that kept him
from landing.

But the moment Childe "Wynd had landed the
witch-queen's power over the Laidly "Worm had
gone, and she went back to her bower all alone, not
an imp, nor a man-at-arms to help her, for she
knew her hour was come. So when Childe Wynd
came rushing up to the Laidly Worm it made nq
attempt to stop him or hurt him, but just as he was
going to raise his sword to slay it the voice of his
own sister Margaret came from its jaws, saying :

*'0, quit your sword, unbend your bow,
And give me kisses three;
For though I am a poisonous worm,
No harm I'll do to thee."

Childe Wynd stayed his hand, but he did not
know what to think if some witchery were not in
it. Then said the Laidly Worm again :

" O, quit your sword, unbend your bow,
And give me kisses three,
If I'm not won ere set of sun,
Won never shall I be."

Then Childe Wynd went up to the Laidly Worm

ENGLISH FAIR Y TALES. 219

and kissed it once; but no change came over it.
Then Childe Wynd kissed it once more ; but yet do
change came over it. For a third time he kissed
the loathsome thing, and with a hiss and a roar the
Laidly Worm reared back, and before Childe Wynd
stood his sister Margaret. He wrapped his cloak
about her, and then went up to the castle with her.
When he reached the keep he went ofif to the witch-
queen's bower, and when he saw her he touched her
with a twig of a rowan tree. No sooner had he
touched her than she shriveled up, and shriveled up,
till she became a huge ugly toad, with bold staring
eyes and a horrible hiss. She croaked and she hissed,
and then hopped away down the castle steps, and
Childe Wynd took his father's place as king, and they
all lived happy afterward.

But to this day a loathsome toad is seen at times
haunting the neighborhood of Bamborough Keep,
ana the wicked witch-queen is that Laidly Toad.

THE CAT A^D THE MOUSE.

The cat and the mouse
Play'd in the malt-house :

THE cat bit the mouse's tail off. " Pray, puss,
give me my tail." " No," says the cat, " I'll
not give you your tail, till you go to the cow and
fetch me some milk."

First she leapt, and then she ran,

Till she came to the cow, and thus began:

" Pray, Cow, give me milk, that I may give cat
milk, that cat may give me my own tail again."
" Ko," said the cow, " I will give you no milk, till
you go to the farmer and get me some hay."

First she leapt, and then she ran,

Till she came to the farmer and thas began;

" Pray, Farmer, give me hay, that I may give cow
hay, that cow may give me milk, that I may give

ENGLISH FAIR 7 TALES. 221

cat milk, that cat may give me my own tail again."
" No," says the farmer, " I'll give you no hay till
you go to the butcher and fetch me some meat."

First she leapt, and then she ran,

Till she came to the butcher, and thus began:

" Pray, Butcher, give me meat, that I may give
farmer meat, that farmer may give me hay, that I
may give cow hay, that cow may give me milk,
that I may give cat milk, that cat may give me my
own tail again," " No," says the butcher, " I'll give
you no meat, tiU you go to the baker and fetch me
some bread."

First she leapt, and then she ran.

Till she came to the baker, and thus began:

" Pray, Baker, give me bread, that I may give
butcher bread, that butcher may give me meat, that
I may give farmer meat, that farmer may give me
hay, that 1 may give cow hay, that cow may give
me milk, that I may give cat milk, that cat maj
give me my own tail again."

*' Yes," says the baker, "I'll give you some bread,
But if you eat my meal, I'll cut off your head."

Then the baker gave mouse bread, and mouse
gave butcher bread, and butcher gave mouse meat,

222 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES,

and mouse gave farmer meat, and farmer gave mouse
hay, and mouse gave cow hay, and cow gave mouse
milk, and mouse gave cat milk, and cat gave mouse
her cwn tail again I

ENGLISH FAIBT TALES. 223

THE FISH AKD THE RING.

ONCE upon a time there was a mighty Baron in
the North Countrie who was a great magician
and knew everything that would come to pass. So
one day, when his little boy was four years old, he
looked into the Book of Fate to see what would hap-
pen to him. And to his dismay, he found that his
son would wed a lowly maid that had just been born
in a house under the shadow of York Minster. Now
the Baron knew the father of the little girl was very,
very poor, and he had five children already. So he
called for his horse, and rode into York, and passed
by the father's house, and saw him sitting by the
door, sad and doleful. So he dismounted and went
up to him and said : " What is the matter, my good
man?" And the man said : "Well, your honor, the
fact is, I've five children already, and now a sixth's
come, a little lass, and v^ here to get the bread from
to fill their mouths, that's more than I can say."

" Don't be downhearted, my man," said the Baron.
**^f that's your trouble, I can help you I'll take

224 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

away the last little one, and you won't have to
bother about her."

" Thank you kindly, sir," said the man ; and he
went in and brought out the lass and gave her to
the Baron, who mounted his horse and rode away
with her. And when he got by the bank of the
River Ouse he threw the little thing into the river,
and rode off to his castle.

But the little lass didn't sink ; her clothes kept
her up for a time, and she floated, and she floated,
till she was cast ashore just in front of a fisherman's
hut. There the fisherman found her, and took pity
on the poor little thing and took her into his house,
and she lived there till she was fifteen years old,
and a fine handsome girl.

One day it happened that the Baron went out
hunting with some companions along the banks of
the River Ouse, and stopped at the fisherman's hut
to get a drink, and the girl came out to give it to
them. They all noticed her beauty, and one of
them said to the Baron: "You can read fateSj
Baron, whom will she marry, d'ye think ?"

"Oh! that's easy to guess," said the Baron;
" some yokel or other. But I'll cast her horoscope.
Come here, girl, and tell me on what day you were
bovn V5

'' I don't know, sir," said the girl, " I was picked

ENaLISH FAIRY TALES.

225

up just here after having been brought down by the
river about fifteen years ago."

Then the Baron knew Avho she was, and when
they went away he rode back and said to the girl :
" Hark ye, girl, I will make your fortune. Take
this letter to my brother in Scarborough, and you

will be settled for life." And the girl took the
letter and said she would go. 'Now this was what
he had written in the letter :

" Dear Brothek : Take the bearer and put her
to death immediately.

" Yours affectionately,

" Humphrey."

So soon after the girl set out for Scarborough

526 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

and slept for the night at a little inn. TTow that
ver}' night a band of robbers broke into the inn, and
searched the girl, who had no money, and only the
letter. So they opened this and read it, and thought
it a shame. The captain of the robbers took a pen
and paper and wrote this letter :

" Dear Brother : Take the bearer and marry
her to my son immediately.

" Yours affectionately,

" Humphrey."

And then he gave it to the girl, bidding her be-
gone. So she went on to the Baron's brother at
Scarborough, a noble knight, with whom the Baron's
son was staying. When she gave the letter to his
brother he gave orders for the wedding to be pre-
pared at once, and they were married that very
day.

Soon after the Baron himself came to his
brother's castle, and what was his surprise to find
that the very thing he had plotted against had come
to pass. But he was not to be put off that way ;
and he took out the girl for a walk, as he said, along
the cliffs. And when he got her all alone he took
her by the arras, and was going to throw her over.
But she begged hard for her life. " I have not done
anything," she said, "if you will only spare me I
will do whatever you wish. I will never see you or

ENGLISH FAIRT TALES. 227

your son again till you desire it." Then the Baron
took off his gold ring and threw it into the soa,
saying : " Never let me see your face till you can
show me that ring ;" and he let her go.

The poor girl wandered on and on, till at last she
came to a great noble's castle, and she asked to have
some work giveu to her ; and they made her the
scullion girl of the castle, for she had been used to
such work in the fisherman's hut.

Now one day, who should she see coming up to
the noble's house but the Baron and his brother
and his son, her husband. She didn't know what to
do ; but thought they would not see her in the
castle kitchen. So she went back to her work with
a sigh, and set to cleaning a huge big fish that was
to be boiled for their dinner. And, as she was
cleaning it, she saw something shine inside it, and
what do you think she found ? Why, there was
the Baron's ring, the very one he had thrown over
the cliff at Scarborough. She was glad indeed to
see it, you may be sure. Then she cooked the fish
as nicely as she could, and served it up.

"Well, when the fish came on the table, the guests
liked it so well that they asked the noble who
cooked it. lie said he didn't know, but called to
his servants : " Ho, there, send the cook who cooked
that fine fish." So they went down to the kitchen

228 ENGLISH FAIBY TALES.

and told the girl she was wanted in the hall. Then
she made herself ready and put the Baron's gxDld
ring on her thumb and went up into the hall.

When the banqueters saw such a young and
beautiful cook they were surprised. But the Baron
was in a tower of a temper, and started up as if he
would do her some violence. So the girl went up
to him with her hand before her with the ring on
it ; and she put it down before him on the table.
Then at last the Baron saw that no one could fight
against Fate, and he handed her to a seat and
announced to all the company that this was his son's
true wife ; and he took her and his son home to
his castle ; and they all lived as happy as could be
<=^ver afterward.

THE MAGPIE'S NEST.

Once upon a time when pigs spoke rhjTiie,
A.nd monkeys chewed tobacco,
And hens took snuff to make them tough,
And ducks went quack, quack, quack, O!

ALL the birds of the air carae to the magpie
and asked her to teach them how to build
nests. For the magpie is the cleverest bird of all
at building nests. So she put all the birds round

230 ENGLISH FAIBT TALES.

her and began to show them how to do it. First of
ail she took some mud and made a sort of round
cake with it.

" Oh, that's how it's done," said the thrush ; and
away it flew, and so that's how thrushes build their
nests.

Then the magpie took some twigs and arranged
them round in the mud.

"Kow I know all about it," said the blackbird,
and off he flew, and that's how the blackbirds make
their nests to this very day.

Then the magpie put another layer of mud over
the twigs.

" Oh, that's quite obvious," said the wise owl^
and away it flew ; and owls have never made bette?
nests since.

After this the magpie took some twigs and twined
them round the outside.

" The very thing !" said the sparrow, and off he
went ; so sparrows make rather slovenly nests to
this day.

"Well, then Madge Magpie took some feathers and
stuff, and lined the nest very comfortably with it.

" That suits me," cried the starKng, and off it
flew ; and very comfortable nests have starlings.

So it went on, every bird taking away some
knowledge of how to build nests, but none of them

ENGLISH FArST TALES. 231

waiting to the end. Meanwhile Madge Magpie
went on working and working without looking up
till the only bird that remained was the turtle-dove,
and that hadn't paid any attention all along, but
only kept on saying its silly cry : " Take two, Taffy,
take two-o-o-o."

At last the magpie heard this just as she was put-
ting a twig across. So she said : " One's enough,"

But the turtle-dove kept on saying : " Take two,
Taffy, take two-o-o-o."

Then the magpie got angry and said: "One's
enough, I tell you."

Still the turtle-dove cried: "Take two, Taffy,
take two-o-o-o."

At last, and at last, the magpie looked up and
saw nobody near her but the silly turtle- dove, and
then she got rarely angry and flew away, and
refused to tell the birds how to build nests again.
And that is why different birds bui^d their nesta
differently.

233 ENGLISH FAIRY TALEb.

KATE CRACKERKUTS.

OXCE upon a time there was a king and a
queen, as in many lands have been. The
king had a daughter, Anne, and the queen had one
named Kate, but Anne was far bonnier than the
queen's daughter, though they loved one another
like real sisters. The queen was jealous of the
king's daughter being bonnier than her own, and
cast about to spoil her beauty. So she took counsel
of the henwife, who told her to send the lassie to
her next morning fasting.

So next morning early the queen said to Anne,
" Go, my dear, to the henwife in the glen, and ask
her for some eggs." So Anne set out ; but as she
passed through the kitchen she saw a crust, and she
took and munched it as she went along.

When she came to the henwife's she asked for
eggs, as she had been told to do ; the henwife said to
her, " Lift the lid off that pot there and see." The
lassie did so, but nothing happened. " Go home to
your minnie and tell her to keep her larder door
better locked," said the henwife. So she went

ENGLISH FAIR T TALES. 233

home to the queen and told her what the henwif©
had said. The queen knew from this that the lassie
had had something to eat, so watched the next
morning and sent her away fasting ; but the princess
waw some country-folk picking peas by the roadside,
and being very kind she spoke to them and took a
handful of the peas, which she ate by the way.

When she came to the hen wife's she said, " Lift
the lid off the pot and you'll see." So Anne lifted
the lid, but nothing happened. Then the henwife
was rare angry and said to Anne, " Tell your
minnie the pot won't boil if the fire's away." So
Anne went home and told the queen.

The third day the queen goes along with the girl
herself to the henwife. Now, this time, when Anne
lifted the lid off the pot, off ^alls her own pretty
head, and on jumps a sheep's head.

So the queen was now quite satisfied, and wen'c
back home.

Her own daughter, Kate, however, took a fine
linen cloth and wrapped it round her sister's head
and took her by the hand and they both went out
to seek their fortune. They went on, and they went
on, and they went on, till they came to a castle.
Kate knocked at the door and asked for a night^s
lodging for herself and a sick sister. They went in
and found it was a king's castle, who had two sons.

234 ENOLISH FAIRY TALES.

and one of them was sickening away to death and
no one could find out what ailed hira. And the
curious thing was that whoever watched him at
night was never seen any more. So the king had
otfered a peck of silver to any one who would stop
up with him. Now Katie was a very brave girl, so
she offered to sit up with him.

Till midnight all went well. As twelve o'clock
rang, however, the sick prince rose, dressed himself,
and slipped downstairs. Kate followed, but he
didn't seem to notice her. The prince went to the
stable, saddled his horse, called his hound, jumped
into the saddle, and Kate leaped lightly up behind
him. Away rode the prince and Kate through the
greenwood, Kate, as they pass, plucking nuts from
the trees and filling her apron with them. They
rode on and on till they came to a green hill. The
prince here drew bridle and spoke, "Open, open,
green hill, and let the young prince In with his
horse and his hound," Kate added, "and his lady
hira Lehind."

Immediately the green hill opened and they
massed in. The prince entered a magnificent hall,
brightly lighted up, and many beautiful fairies sur^
rouded the prince and led him off to the dance.
Meanwhile, Kate, without being noticed, hid herself
behind the door. There she saw the prince dancing,

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES

335

and dancing, and dancing, till he could dance no
longer and fell upon a couch. Then the fairies
would fan him till he could rise again and go on

dancing.

At last the cock crew, and the prince raade all haste
to get on horseback ; Kate jumped up behind, and

'l.^A

home they rode. When the morning sun rose they
eame in and found Kate sitting down by the fire and
cracking her nuts. Kate said the prince had a good
night ; but she would not sit up another night un-
less she was to get a peck of gold. The second
night passed as the first had done. The prince got up
at midnight and rode away to the green hill and the
fairy ball, and Kate went with him, gathering nuts

236 ENGLISH FAIRT TALES.

as they rode through the forest. This time she did
not watch the prince, for she knew he would dance,
and dance, and dance. But she saw a fairy baby play-
ing with a wand, and overheard one of the fairies
say: "Three strokes of that wand would make
Kate's sick sister as bonnie as ever she was." So
Kate rolled nuts to the fairy baby, and rolled nuts
till the baby toddled after the nuts and let fall the
wand, and Kate took it up and put it in her apron.
And at cock crow they rode home as before, and
the moment Kate got home to her room she rushed
and touched Anne three times with the wand, and
the nasty sheep's head fell off and she was her own
pretty self again. The third night Kate consented
to watch, only if she should marry the sick prince.
All went on as on the first two nights. This time
the fairy baby was playing with a birdie ; Kate
heard one of the fairies say: "Three bites of that
birdie would make the sick prince as well as ever he
was." Kate rolled all the nuts she had to the fairy
baby till the birdie was dropped, and Kate put it in
her apron.

At cock crow they set off again, but instead of
cracking her nuts as she used to do, this time Kate
plucked the feathers off and cooked the birdie.
Soon there arose a very savory smell. " Oh !" said
the sick prince, " I wish I had a bite of that birdie,"

ENGLISH FAIR T TAL Eb. 237

SO Kate gave him a bite of the birdie, and he rose
up on his elbow. By and by he cried out again :
" Oh, if I had another bite of that birdie !" so Kate
gave him another bite, and he sat up on his bed.
Then he said again : " Oh ! if 1 but had a third bite
of that birdie !" So Kate gave him a third bite, and
he rose hale and strong, dressed himself, and sat
down by the fire, and when the folk came in next
morning they found Kate and the young prince
cracking nuts together. Meanwhile his brother had
seen Annie and had fallen in love with her, as every-
body did who saw her sweet pretty face. So the
sick son married the well sister, and the well son
married the sick sister, and they all lived happy
and died happy, and never drank out of a dry
cappy.

THE CAULD LAD OF HILTON.

T HILTON HALL, long years ago, there
lived a Brownie that was the contrariest
Brownie you ever knew. At night, after the serv-
ants had gone to bed, it would turn everything
topsy-turvy, put sugar in the salt-cellars, pepper into
the beer, and was up to all kinds of pranks. It
would throw the chairs down, put tables on their

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 239

backs, rake out fires, and do as much mischief as
could be. But sometimes it would be in a good
temper, and then ! — " What's a Brownie ?" you say.
Oh, it's a kind of a sort of a Bogle, but it isn't so
cruel as a Eedcap ! What ! you don't know what's
a Bogle or a Redcap ! Ah, me ! Avhat's the world
a-coming to ? Of course a Brownie is a funny little
thing, half-man, half-goblin, with pointed ears and
hairy hide. When you bury a treasure, you scatter
over it blood drops of a newly slain kid or lamb, or,
better still, bury the animal with the treasure, and
a Brownie will watch over it for you, and frighten
everybody else away.

Where was I ? Well, as I was a-saying, the
Brownie at Hilton Hall would play at mischief, but
if the servants laid out for it a bowl of cream, or a
knuclde cake spread with honey, it would clear
away things for them, and make everything tidy in
the kitchen. One night, however, when the serv-
ants had stopped up late, they heard a noise in the
kitchen, and peeping in, saw the Brownie swinging
to and fro on the Jack chain, and saying :

'* Woe's me! woe's me!
The acorn's not yet
Fallen from the tree,
That's to grow the wood,
That's to make the cradle.

240 ENGLISH FATRT TALES.

That's to rock the bairn,
That's to grow to the man,
That's to lay me.
Woe's me! woe's me!"

So t£iey took pity on the poor Brownie, and askeq
the nearest henwife what they should do to send it
away. "That's easy enough," said the henwife,
and told them that a Brownie that's paid for its
service, in aught that's not perishable, goes away at
once. So they made a cloak of Lincoln green, with
a hood to it, and put it by the hearth and watched.
They saw the Brownie come up, and seeing the
hood and cloak, put them on and frisk about,
dancing on one leg and saying :

" I've taken your cloak, I've taken your hood:
The Cauld Lad of Hilton will do no more good. "

And with that it vanished, and was never seen ox
'aeard of afterward.

THE ASS, THE TABLE, AND THE STICK.

A LAD named Jack was once so unhappy at
home through his father's ill-treatment that
he made up his mind to run away and seek his for-
tune in the wide world.

He ran, and he ran, till he could run no longer,
and then he ran right up against a little old woman
who was gathering sticks. He was too much out of
breath to beg pardon, but the woman was good-
natured, and she said he seemed to be a likely lad,
so sue would take him to be her servant, and would

242 ENGLISH FAIRT TALES.

pay him well. He agreed, for he was very hungry,
and she brought him to her house in the wood,
where he served her for a twelvemonth and a day.
When the year had passed she called him to her,
and said she had good wages for him. So she pre-
sented him with an ass out of the stable, and he had
but to pull Neddy's ears to make him begin at once
to ee — aw! And when he brayed there dropped
from his mouth silver sixpences, and half-crowns,
and golden guineas.

The lad was well pleased with the wage he had
received, and away he rode till he reached an inn.
There he ordered the best of everything, and when
the innkeeper refused to serve him without being
paid beforehand, the boy went off to the stable,
pulled the ass' ears and obtained his pocket full of
money. The host had watched all this through a
crack in the door, and when night came on he put
ar ass of his own for the precious Neddy of the poor
youth. So Jack, without knowing that any change
had been made, rode away next morning to his
father's house.

Now, I must tell you that near his home dwelt a
poor widow with an only daughter. The lad and
the maiden were fast friends and trueloves; but
when Jack asked his father's leave to marry the
girl, " Never till you have the monev to keep her,"

ENGLISH FAIR7 TALES. 243

was the reply. " I have that, father," said the lad,
and going to the ass he pulled its long ears ; well,
he pulled, and he pulled, till one of them came off
in his hands ; but JSTeddy, though he hee-hawed and
he hee-hawed let fall no half-crowns or guineas.
The father picked up a hayfork and beat his son out
of the house. I promise you he ran. Ah ! he ran
and ran till he came bang against the door, and
burst it open, and there he was in a joiner's shop.
" You're a likely lad," said the joiner ; " serve me
for a twelvemonth and a day and I will pay you
well." So he agreed, and served the carpenter for
a year and a day. " Now," said the master, " I will
give you your wage ;" and he presented him with a
table, telling him he had but to say, " Table, be cov-
ered," and at once it would be spread with lots to
eat and drink.

Jack hitched the table on his back, and away he
went with it till he came to the inn. " Well, host,"
shouted he, " my dinner to-day, and that of the
best."

" Yery sorry, but there is nothing in the house
but ham and eggs."

" Ham and eofors for me !" exclaimed Jack. " I
can do better than that — come, my table, be
covered !"

A.t once the table was spread with turkey and

244 ENGLISH FAIBT TALES.

sausages, roast mutton, potatoes and greens. The
innkeeper opened his eyes, but he said nothing, not
he.

That night he fetched down from his attic a table
very like that of Jack, and exchanged the two.
Jack, none the wiser, next morning hitched the
worthless table on to his back and carried it home.
"Now, father, may I marry my lass ?" he asked.

"ISTot unless you can keep her," replied the father.

" Look here !" exclaimed Jack. " Father, I have
a table which does all my bidding."

" Let me see it," said the old man.

The lad set it in the middle of the room, and bade
it be covered ; but all in vain, the table remained
bare. In a rage, the father caught the warming-pan
down from the wall and warmed his son's back with
it so that the boy fled howling from the house, and
ran and ran till he came to a river and tumbled in.
A man picked him out and bade him help him in
making a bridge over the river ; and how do you
think he was doing it? Why, by casting a tree
across ; so Jack climbed up to the top of the tree
and threw his weight on it, so that when the man
had rooted the tree up. Jack and the tree-head
dropped on the further bank.

" Thank you," said the man ; " and now for what
you have done I will pay you ;" so saying, he tore a

E^'^LISn FAIRY TALES. 245

branch from the tree, and fettled it up into a club
with his knife. " There," exclaimed he ; " take this
stick, and when you say to it, ' Up stick and bang
him,' it will knock any one down who angers you."

The lad was overjoyed to get this stick ; so away
he went with it to the inn, and as soon as the inn-
keeper appeared, " Up stick and bang him !" was his
cry. At the word the cudgel flew from his hand
and battered the old fellow on the back, rapped his
head, bruised his arms, and tickled his ribs till he
fell groaning on the floor ; still the stick belabored
the prostrate man, nor would Jack call it off till he
had got back the stolen ass and table. Then he
galloped home on the ass, with the table on his
shoulders, and the stick in his hand. When he ar-
rived there he found his father was dead, so he
brought his ass into the stable, and pulled its ears
till he had filled the manger with money.

It was soon known through the town that Jack
had returned rolling in wealth, and accordingly all
.the girls in the place set their caps at him. " Now,"
said Jack, " I shall marry the richest lass in the
place ; so to-morrow do you all come in front of my
house with your money in your aprons."

Next morning the street was full of girls with
aprons held out, and gold and silver in them ; but
Jack's own sweetheart was among them, and she

246 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

had neither gold nor silver, naught but two copper
pennies ; that was all she had.

"Stand aside, lass," said Jack to her, speaking
roughly. " Thou hast no silver nor gold ; stand off
from the rest." She obeyed, and the tears ran down
her cheeks and filled her apron with diamonds.

" Up stick and bang them !" exclaimed Jack ;
whereupon the cudgel leaped up, and running along
the line of girls, knocked them all on the heads and
left them senseless on the pavement. Jack took all
their money and poured it into his true love's lap.
" Now, lass," he exclaimed, " thou art the richest,
and I shall marry thee."

FAIRY OINTMENT.

DAME GOODY was a nurse that looked after
sick people and minded babies. One night
she was woke up at midnight, and when she went
downstairs she saw a strange squinny-eyed, little
ugly old fellow, who asked her to come to his wife,
who was too ill to mind her baby. Dame Goody
didn't like the look of the old fellow, but business is
business; so she popped on her things and went
down to him. And when she got down to him he
whisked her up on to a large coal-black horse with
fiery eyes, that stood at the door ; and soon they
"were going at a rare pace. Dame Goody holding on
to the old fellow like grim death.

They rode, and they rode, till at last they stopped

248 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

before a cottage door. So they got clown and went
in and found the good woman abed with the children
playing about ; and the babe, a fine bouncing boy,
beside her.

Dame Goody took the babe, which was as fine a
baby boy as you'd wish to see. The mother, when
she handed the baby to Dame Goody to mind, gave
her a box of ointment, and told her to stroke the
baby's eyes with it as soon as it opened them. After
awhile it began to open its eyes. Dame Goody
saw that it had squinny eyes just like its father. So
she took the box of ointment and stroked its two
eyelids with it. But she couldn't help wondering
what it was for, as she had never seen such a thing
done before. So she looked to see if the others were
looking, and, when they were not noticing, she
stroked her own right eyelid with the ointment.

No sooner had she done so than everything seemed
changed about her. The cottage became elegantly
furnished. The mother in the bed was a beautiful
lady, dressed up in white silk. The little baby was
still more beautiful than before, and its clothes were
made of a sort of silvery gauze. Its little brothers
and sisters around the bed were flat-nosed imps with
pointed ears, who made faces at one another and
scratched their polls. Sometimes they would pull
the sick lady's ears with their long and hairy paws.

ENOLISE FAIRT TALES. 249

In fact, they were up to all kinds of mischief ; and
Dame Goody knew that she had got into a house of
pixies. But she said nothing to nobody, and as soon
as the lady was well enough to mind the baby she
asked the old fellow to take her back home. So he
came round to the door with the coal-black horse
with eyes of jBre, and olf they went as fast as be-
fore, or perhaps a little faster, till they came to Dame
Goody's cottage, where the squinny-eyed old fellow
lifted her down and left her, thanking her civilly
enough, and paying her more than she had ever
been paid before for such service.

Now next day happened to be market-day, and as
Dame Goody had been away from home, she wanted
many things in the house, and trudged off to get
them at the market. As she was buying the things
she wanted, who should she see but the squinny-
eyed old fellow who had taken her on the coal-black
horse. And what do you think he was doing?
"Why he went about from stall to stall taking up
things from each, here some fruit, and there some
eggs, and so on ; and no one seemed to take any
notice.

Now Dame Goody did not think it her business
eo interfere, but she thouglit she ought not to let so
good a customer pass without speaking. So she ups
to him and bobs a courtesy and said : " Gooden, sir, I

250 ENQ USE FAIR Y TALES.

hopes as how your good lady and the little one are
as well as "

But she couldn't finish what she was a-saying, for
the funny old fellow started back in surprise, and he
says to her, says he : " What ! do you see me to-
day ?"

"See you," says she, "why, of course I do, as
plain as the sun in the skies, and what's more," says
she, " I see you are busy too, into the bargain."

" Ah, you see too much," said he ; " now, pray,
with which eye do you see all this ?"

" With the right eye to be sure," said she, as
proud as can be to find him out.

" The ointment ! The ointment !" cried the old
pixy thief. "Take that for meddling with what
don't concern you : you shall see me no more."
And with that he struck her on her right eye, and
she couldn't see him any more ; and, what was
worse, she was blind on the right side from th&i
hour till the day of her death.

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES, 251

TKE WELL OF THE WOKLD'S END.

ONCE upon a time, and a very good time it
was, though it wasn't in my time, nor in your
time, nor any one else's time, there was a girl whose
mother had died, and her father had married again.
And her stepmother hated her because she was
more beautiful than herself, and she was very cruel
to her. She used to make her do all the servant's
work, and never let her have any peace. At last,
one day, the stepmother thought to get rid of her
altogether ; so she handed her a sieve and said to
her : " Go, fill it at the Well of the World's End
and bring it home to me full, or woe betide you."
For she thought she would never be able to find the
Well of the World's End, and, if she did, how could
she bring home a sieve full of water ?

Well, the girl started ofP, and asked every one
she met to tell her where was the Well of the
World's End. But nobody knew, and she didn't
know what to do, when a queer little old woman,
all bent double, told her where it was, and how she

252 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES,

could get to it. So she did what the old woman
told her, and at last arrived at the Well of the
"World's End. But when she dipped the sieve in the
cold, cold water it all ran out again. She tried and
she tried again, but every time it was the same ;
and at last she sate down and cried as if her heart
would break.

Suddenly she heard a croaking \oice, and she
looked up and saw a great frog with goggle eyes
looking at her and speaking to her.

" What's the matter, dearie ?" it said.

" Oh, dear, oh, dear," she said, " my stepmother
has sent me all this long way to fill this sieve with
water from the Well of the World's End, and I
can't fill it no how at all."

" WelJ," said the frog, " if you promise me to do
whatever I bid you for a whole night long, I'll teL
you how to fill it."

So the girl agreed, and then the frog said :

"Stop it with moss and daub it with clay,
And then it will carry the water away;"

and then it gave a hop, skip and jump, and went
flop into the Well of the World's End.

So the girl looked about for some moss, and lined
the bottom of the sieve with it, and over that she
put some clay, and then she dipped it once again

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 253

into the Well of the World's End; and this time
the water didn't run out, and she turned to go away.

Just then the frog popped up its head out of the
Well of the World's End, and said : " Kemeraber
your promise."

"All right," said the girl; for thought she^
" what harm can a frog do me ?"

So she went back to her stepmother, and brought
the sieve full of water from the Well of the World's
End. The stepmother was angry as angry, but she
said nothing at all.

That very evening they heard something tap tap-
ping at the door low down, and a voice cried out :

*' Open the door, my hinny, my heart,
Open the door, my own darling;
Mind you the words that you and I spoke,
Down in the meadow, at the "World's End "Well."

"Whatever can that be?" cried out the step-
mother, and the girl had to tell her all about it, and
what she had promised the frog,

" Girls must keep their promises," said the step-
mother. " Go and open the door this instant." For
she was glad the girl would have to obey a nasty
frog.

So the girl went and opened the door, and there
was the frog from the Well of the World's End. And

254 ENOLISH FAIRY TALES.

it hopped, and it hopped, and it jumped, till it
reached the girl, and then it said :

" Lift me to your knee, my hinny, my heart,
Lift me to your knee, my own darling;
Remember the words you and I spoke,
Down in the meadow, by the "World's End Well."

But the girl didn't like to, till her stepmother
said : " Lift it up this instant, you hussy ! Girls
must keep their promises !"

So at last she lifted the frog up on to her lap, and
it lay there for a time, till at last it said :

" Give me some supper, my hi any, my heart,
Give me some supper, my darling;
Eemember the words you and I spake,
In the meadow, by the Well of the World's End."

Well, she didn't mind doing that, so she got it a
bowl of milk and bread, and fed it well. And when
the frog had finished, it said :

*' Go with me to bed, my hinny, my heart,
Go with me to bed, my own darling;
Mind you the words you spake to me,
Down by the cold well, so weary."

But that the girl wouldn't do, till her stepmother
said : " Do what you promised, girl ; girls must
keep their promises. Do what you're bid, or out
you go, you and your froggie."

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 355

So the girl took the frog with her to bed, and
kept it as far away from her as she could. Well,
just as the day was beginning to break what should
the frog say but :

" Chop off my head, my hinny, my heait,
Chop off my head, my own darling;
flemember the promise you made to me,
Down by the cold well, so weary."

At first the girl wouldn't, for she thought of what
the frog had done for her at the Well of the World's
End. But when the frog said the words over again
she went and took an ax and chopped off its head,
and lo ! and behold, there stood before her a hand-
some young prince, who told her that he had been
enchanted by a wicked magician, and he could never
be unspelled till some girl would do his bidding for
a whole night, and chop off his head at the end of it.

The stepmother was surprised, indeed, when she
found the young prince instead of the nasty frog,
and she wasn't best pleased, you may be sure, when
the prince told her that he was going to marry her
stepdaughter because she had unspelled him. But
married they were, and went away to live in the
castle of the king, his father, and all the stepmother
had to console her was, that it was all through
haj: that her stepdaughter was married to a prince.

956

ENGLISH FAIR7 TALES

MASTER OF ALL MASTERS,

A GIRL once went to the fair to hire herself
for servant. At last a funny-looking old gen-
man engaged her, and took her home to his house.
When she got there he told her that he had some-
thing to teach her, for that in his house
he had his own names for things.

He said to her : " What will you call
me?"

" Master or mister, or whatever you
please, sir," says she.

He said : " You must call me ' master
of all masters.' And what would you
call this ?" pointing to his bed.

"Bed or couch, or whatever you
please, sir."

" No, that's my ' barnacle.' And
what do you call these ?" said he, point-
'^ ing to his pantaloons.
" Breeches or trousers, or whatever you please,
sir."

"You must call them 'squibs and crackers.'

ENGLISH FAIRT TALES. 257

And what would you call her?''' pointing to the
cat,

'^ Cat or kit, or whatever you please, sir."
^' You must call her ' white-faced simminy.* And
this now," showing the fire, " what would you call
tnis 2"
" Fire or flame, or whatever you please, sir."
" You must call it * hot cockalorum,^ and what
this ?" he went on, pointing to the water,
" Water or wet, or whatever you please, sir."
" ISTo, ' pondalorum ' is its name. And what do
you call all this?" asked he, as he pointed to the
house.

" House or cottage, or whatever you please, sir."
" You must call it ' high topper mountain."
That very night the servant woke her master up
in a fright and said : " Master of all masters, get
out of your barnacle and put on your squibs and
crackers. For white-faced simminy has got a spark
of hot cockalorum on its tail, and unless you get
some pondalorum high topper mountain will be all
on hot cockalorum„" . = . . » . , , Thau's
aU.

258 EITOLISn FAIRY TALES.

THE THEEE HEADS OF THE WELL.

LONG before Arthur and the Knights of the
Round Table, there reigned in the eastern
part of England a king who kept his Court at
Colchester.

In the midst of all his glory his queen died,
leaving behind her an only daughter, about fifteen
years of age, who for her beauty and kindness was
the wonder of all that knew her. Bat the king,
hearing of a lady who had likewise an only daughter,
had a mind to marry her for the sake of her riches,
though she was old, ugly, hook-nosed, and hump-
backed. Her daughter was a yellow dowdy, full of
envy and ill-nature ; and, in short, was much of the
same mold as her mother. But in a few weeks the
king, attended by the nobility and gentry, brought
his deformed bride to the palace, where the ma.rriage
rites were performed. She had not been long in
the Court before she set the king against his own
beautiful daughter by false reports. The young
princess, having lost her father's love, grew weary
of the Court, and one day, meeting with her father

ENGLISH FAIR Y TAL ES. 259

in the garden, she begged him, with tears in her
eyes, to let her go and seek her fortune ; to which
the king consented, and ordered her mother-in-law
to give her what she pleased. She went to the
queen, who gave her a canvas bag of brown bread
and hard cheese, with a bottle of beer. Though
this was but a pitiful dowry for a king's daughter,
she took it, with thanks, and proceeded on her
journey, passing through groves, woods, and valleys,
till at length she saw an old man sitting on a stone
at the mouth of a cave, who said : " Good-morrow,
fair maiden, whither away so fast?"

" Aged father," says she, " I am going to seek my
fortune."

" What have you got in your bag and bottle ?"
" In my bag I have got bread and cheese, and in
my bottle good small beer. Would you like to have
some ?"

" Yes," said he, " with all my heart."
With that the lady pulled out her provisions, and
bade him eat and welcome. He did so, and gave
her many thanks, and said : '^ There is a thick
thorny hedge before you, Avhich you cannot get
through, but take this Avand in your hand, strike it
three times, and say, ' Pray, hedge, let me come
through,' and it will open immediately ; then, a
little further, you will find a well ; sit down on the

260 ISNOUSH FAIRY TALES.

brink of it, and there will come up three golden
heads, which will speak ; and whatever they require;
that do.'" Promising she would, she took her leave
of him. Coming to the hedge and using the old
man's wand, it divided, and let her through ; then,
coming to the well, she had no sooner sat down
than a golden head came up singing :

" "Wash me and comb me,
And lay me down softly,
And lay me on a bank to dry^
That I may look pretty
"When somebody passes by."

" Yes," said she, and taking it in her lap combed
it with a silver comb, and then placed it upon a
primrose bank. Then up came a second and a third
head, saying the same as the former. So she did
the same for them, and then, pulling out her pro-
visions, sat down to eat her dinner.

Then said the heads one to another: "What
shall we weird for this damsel who has used us so
kindly ?"

The first said : " I weird her to be so beautiful
that she shall charm the most powerful prince in
the world,"

The second said : " I weird her such a sweet voice
as shall far exceed the nightingale."

ENGLISH FAIRF TALES,

261

The third said : " My gift shall be none of the
least, as she is a king's daughter, I'll weird her so
(fortunate that she shall become queen to the
greatest prince that reigns."

She then let them do\vn into the well again,
and so wei^t on her journey. She had not traveled

long before she saw a king hunting in the park with
his nobles. She would have avoided him, but the
king, having caught sight of her, approached, and
what with her beauty and sweet voice, fell des-
perately in love with her, and soon induced her to
marry him.
This king, finding that she was the king of Col

262 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

Chester's daughter, ordered some chariots to be got
ready, that he might pay the king, his father-in-law,
a visit. The chariot in which the king and queen
rode was adorned with rich gems of gold. The
king, her father, was at first astonished that his
daughter had been so fortunate, till the young kinfy
let him know of all that had happened. Great was
the joy at court among all, with the exception of
the queen and her club-footed daughter, who were
ready to burst with envy. The rejoicings, with
feasting and dancing, continued many days. Then
at length they returned home with the dowry her
father gave her.

The hump-backed princess, perceiving that her
sister had been so lucky in seeking her fortune,
wanted to do the same ; so she told her mother, and
all preparations were made, and she was furnished
with rich dresses, and with sugar, almonds and
sweetmeats, in great quantities, and a large bottle
of Malaga sack. With these she went the same
road as her sister ; and coming near the cave, the
old man said : " Young woman, whither so fast ?"

"What's that to you?" said she.

" Then," said he, " what have you in your bag
and bottle ?"

She answered: "Good things, which you shall
not be troubled with."

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. 263

" Won't you give me some ?" said he.

" No, not a bit, nor a drop, unless it would choke
you."

The old man frowned, saying : " Evil fortune at-
tend ye."

Going on, she came to the hedge, through which
she espied a gap, and thought to pass through it ; but
the hedge closed, and the thorns ran into her flesh,
so that it was with great diiSculty that she got
through. Being now all over blood she searched
for water to wash herself, and, looking round, she
saw the well. She sat down on the brink of it, and
one of the heads came up, saying: "Wash me,
comb me, and lay me down softly," as before, but
she banged it with her bottle, saying : " Take that
for your washing." So the second and third heads
came up, and met with no better treatment than the
first. Whereupon the heads consulted among them-
selves what evils to plague her with for such usage.

The first said : " Let her be struck with leprosy
in her face."

The second: "Let her voice be as harsh as a
corn-crake's."

The third said : " Let her have for husband but a
poor country cobbler."

Well, on she went till she came to a town, and it
being market-day the people looked at her, and,

264 EliiJLISn FAIRY TALES.

seing such an ugly face, and hearing such a squeaky
voice, all fled but a poor country cobbler. Now, he
not long before had mended the shoes of an old
hermit, who, having no money, gave him a box
of ointment for the cure of the leprosy, and a bottle
of spirits for a harsh voice. So the cobbler, having
A mind to do an act of charity, was induced to go
up to her and ask her who she was.

"I am," said she, "the king of Colchester's
daughter-in-law."

"Well," said the cobbler, "if I restore you to
your natural complexion, and make a sound cure
both in face and voice, will you in reward take me
for a husband ?"

" Yes, friend," replied she, " with all my heart."

With this the cobbler applied the remedies, and
they made her well in a few weeks ; after which
they were married, and so set forward for the court
at Colchester. When the queen found that her
daughter had married nothing but a poor cobbler
she hano-ed herself in wrath. The death of the
queen so pleased the king, who was glad to get rid
of her so soon, that he gave the cobbler a hundred
pounds to quit the court with his lady, and take to a
remote part of the kingdom, where he lived many
years mending shoes, his wife spinning the thread
for him.

THE END.

CHILDREN'S ROOM

nOTES AND REFERENCES. 365

NOTES AND REFERENCES

The Fairy Tales of England have been treated in
rather a stepmotherly fashion. That they onoe ex-
isted in tolerable numbers there are still traces in the
celebrated library-list of Captain Cox, among others^
and in odd references in literature and in chap-books.
But in the middle of last century the genius of Charles
Perrault captivated English and Scotch children with
as much force as, or probably with even more force
than, he had entranced French ones. Cinderella and
Puss in Boots and their companions ousted Childe
Rowland and Mr. Fox and Catskin. The superior ele-
gance and clearness of the French tales replaced the
rude vigor of the English ones. What Perrault began,
the Grimms completed. Tom Tit Tot gave way to
Rumpelstiltschen, the Three Sillies to Hansel and
Grethel, and the English Fairy Tale became a melange
confus of Perrault and the Grimms.

This would not have been so serious if English
provincial life had been so conservative and tenacious
as the provincial life of France, Italy, or Germany.
But railways and the telegraph have disintegrated the
provinces of England much more than abroad. And
for various reasons the English peasant has never had
60 vivid a social life as the Bauer or Jacques Bon-
homme. Consequently there is less hope of recover^
ing the lost fairy tales of England to such a degree as
has been accomplished with such brilliant success in
almost every European country during the past thirty
years, or still more conspicuously among the Gaels of
Scotland by the late J. F, Campbell.

266 ENGLISH FAIRT TALES.

Yet something has been done even for England.
Halliwell collected a considerable number of folk-talea
in two volumes he edited for the Percy Society and re-
printed in his "Nursery Khymes and Tales." Mr.
Baring-Gould appended to the first edition of Hender-
son's "Folk-Lore of the Northern Counties" (1866)
several tales derived from the peasantry of Yorkshire
and De"^on. More recently Mrs. Balfour collected
among the peasants of the Cars in Lincolnshire the re
markable legends and tales she published in "Folk-
Lore," vol. ii., while scattered among the local news-
papers and "Notes and Queries," tiiere have been
several drolls reproduced in dialect, among them
"Tom Tit Tot" and "Cap o' Eashes," of this volume
published in the "Suffolk Notes and Queries." Mr.
Hartland has collected some of these in his "English
Folk and Fairy Tales," edited for the Camelot Series.

In a few cases English folk-tales still exist preserved
in metrical form among the Ballads Thus "Cats-
kin," which Mr. Biirchell told the Primrose children
in the "Vicar of Wakefield," is now only extant as a
chap-book ballad. The story of "Binnorie" is closely
allied to the theme of Uus qui chante, which M. Mon-
ceur has recently, with remarkable industry and suc-
cess, traced in all the folk-literatures of Europe. Yet
in England there is not a trace of its being told other-
wise than in ballad form, and that in Lowland Scotch
or Northern English.

The folk-literature of the Northern Englishmen
known as Scots is clearly closely allied to that of Eng-
land. The chief collection that has been made of
Scotch folk-tales is that of W. Chambers in that de-
lightful book "The Nursery Rhymes of Scotland,"
1842. But out of the twenty-one tales included in the
volume sixteen can be traced among Southrons, and
till evidence is shown to the contrary, there seems no
reason to doubt that the remaining five were also once
current on the southern side of the Border. There iS
no evidence of a distinct story store of Lowland Scots
differing from that of Northern or even Southern

NOTES AND REFERENCES. 267

Bnglitshmen, and I have treated Scots for the purpose
of this volume as if they were merely Englishmen,
which may Lowland Caledonia forgive!

Of the origin of English folk-tales this is not the
place to speak at any length. So far as they are com-
mon with other European folk-tales, I see no reason
for doubting that they all had a common origin. I
have given reason in the Introduction to the Notes of
my "Indian Fairy Tales" in this series for believing
that the source of that international nucleus of the
European folk-tales is India. But for each country
there remains a residuum peculiar to that country —
e.g., for England, "Jack and the Beanstalk" or "Childe
Rowland," and there is no reason to doubt that tliese
are artistic products of the folk-fancy of some English-
man. Whether we can trust to them to obtain archseo-
iogical evidence of former customs in this island is a
somewhat doubtful question, which I have dealt with
in a concrete shape in the Notes to "Childe Rowland."

In the following notes I give first the source whence
I obtained the various tales. Then come parallels in
some fullness for the United Kingdom, but only a
single example for foreign countries, .vith a biblio-
graphical reference where further variants can be
found. Finally, a few remarks are sometimes added
where the tale seems to need it. In cwo cases (Nos.
xvi. and xxi.) I have been more full.

I. TOM TIT TOT.

Source. — Unearthed by Mr. E. Clodd from the
■'"Suffolk Notes and Queries" of the Ipswich Journal,
1877, and reprinted by him in a paper on "The Philos-
ophy of Rumpelstiltskin" in Folk-Lore Journal, vii.
138-43. I have reduced the Suffolk dialect.

Parallels. — In Yorkshire this occurs as "Habetrot
and Scantlie Mab," in Henderson's "Foll:-Lore of
Northern Counties," 221-6; in Devonshire as "Duffy
and the Devil" in Hunt's "Romances and Drolls of
tiio West oi! England;," 239-47; in Scotland two van-

S68 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

ants are given by Chambers, "Popular Ehy me s of Scot-
land," under the title "Whuppity Stourie." The
* 'name-guessing wager" is also found in "Peerifool,"
printed by Mr. Andrew Lang in Longman's Magazine,
July, 1889, also Folk-Lore, ^September, 1890. It is
clearly the same as Grimm's "Rumpelstiltskin" (No.
14); for other Continental parallels see Mr. Clodd's
article, and Cosquin, "Contes pop. de Lorraine/' i.
269 seq.

Remarhs. — One of the best folk-tales that have ever
been collected, far superior to any of the Continental
variants of this tale with which I am acquainted. Mr.
Clodd sees in the class of name-guessing stories a
"survival" of the superstition that to know a man's
name gives you power over him, for which reason sav-
ages object to tell their names. It may be necessary,
I find, to explain to the little ones that Tom Tit can
only be referred to as "that," because his name is not
known till the end.

11. THE THEEE SILLIES.

Source. — From Folk-Lore Journal, ii, 40-3; to which
it was communicated by Miss C. Burne.

Parallels. — Prof. Stephens gave a variant from his
own memory in Folk-Lore Becord, iii. 155, as told in
Essex at the beginning of the century. Mr. Toulmin
Smith gave another version in The Constitutional, July
1, 1853, which was translated by his daughter, and
contributed to Melusine, t. ii. An Oxfordshire ver-
sion was given in Notes and Queries, April 17, 1852.
It occurs also in Ireland, Kennedy, "Fireside Stories,"
p. 9. It is Grimm's "Kluge Else," No. 34, and is
spread through the Avcild. Mr. Clouston devotes the
seventh chapter of his ''Book of Noodles" to the Quest
of the Three Noodles.

NOTES AND REFERENCES. 263

III. THE KOSE TREE.

Source. — From the first edition of Henderson's
"Folk-Lore of Northern Counties," p. 314, to which
it was communicated by the Eev. S. Baring-Gould.

Parallels. — This is better known under the title,
"Orange and Lemon," and with the refrain:

"My mother killed me,
My father picked my bones,
My little sister buried me,
Under the marble stones."

I heard this in Australia, and a friend of mine heard
it in her youth in County Meath, Ireland. Mr. Jones
gives part of it in "Folk Tales of the Magyars," 418-
20, and another version occurs in Notes and Queries,
vi. 496. Mr. I. Gollancz informs me he remembers a
version entitled "Pepper, Salt, and Mustard," with
the refrain just given. Abroad it is Grimm's "Juni-
per Tree" (No. 47), where see further parallels. The
German rhyme is sung by Margaret in the mad scene
of Goethe's "Faust."

IV. OLD WOMAN AND PIG.

Source. — Halliwell's "Nursery Ehymes and Tales/'
114.

Parallels. — Cf. Miss Burne, "Shropshire Folk-
Lore," 529; also No. xxxiv. infra {"Ca,t and Mouse").
It occurs also in Scotch, with the title "The Wife and
her Bush of Berries," Chambers' "Pop. Ehymes," p.
57. Newell, "Games and Songs of American Chil-
dren," gives a game named "Club-fist" (No. 75),
founded on this, and in his notes refers to German,
Danish, and Spanish variants. (Of. Cosqum, ii. 36
seg. See also "Celtic Fairy Tales," notes on Mun-
achar and Manachar.

Remarks. — One of thfj class of Accumulative stories,
which are well repres^inted in England. {Cf. infra,
^os. xvi.. XX., xxxlv.)

270 ENGLISH FAIBT TALES.

V. HOW JACK SOUGHT HIS FOETUNE.

Source. — American Folk- Lore Journal, 1., 227-8. X
have eliminated a malodorous and un-English skunk.

Parallels. — Two other versions are given in the
Jotirnal I.e. One of these, however, was probably de-
rived from Grimm's "Town Musicians of Bremen"
(No. 27). That the others came from across the At-
lantic is shown by the fact that it occurs in Ireland
(Kennedy, "Fictions," pp. 5-10. See "Celtic Fairy
Tales," No. xiv.) and Scotland (Campbell, No. 11).
For other variants, see R. Kohler in Gonzenbach
"Sicil. Miirchen," ii. 245.

VI. MR. VINEGAR.

Source. — Halliwell, p. 149. From the West of
England.

Parallels. — This is the "Hans im Gliick" of Grimm
(No. 83). Cf. too, "Lazy Jack," infra, No. xxvii.
Other variants are given by M. Cosquin, "Contes pop.
de Lorraine," i. 241. On surprising robbers, see pre-
ceding tale.

Remarks. — In some of the variants the door is car-
ried, because Mr. Vinegar, or his equivalent, has been
told to "mind the door," or he acts on the principle,
"he that is master of the door is master of the house."
hx other stories he makes the foolish exchanges to the
entire satisfaction of his wife. {Cf. Cosquin, i. 156-7.)

VII. NIX NOUGHT NOTHING.

Source. — From a Scotch tale, "Nicht Nought Noth-
ing," collected by Mr. Andrew Lang in Morayshire,
published by him first in "Revue Celtique," t. iii.j
then in his "Custom and Myth," p. 89; and again id
Folk-Lore Sept., 1890. I have changed the name s(>
as to retain the equivoque of the giant's reply to the
King. I have also inserted the incidents of the flight,
mainly from the Pentamerone version, and expanded

NOTES AND REFERENCES. 271

the conclusion, which is very curtailed and confused
in the original. The usual ending of tales of this
class contains the "sale of bed" incident, for which see
Child, i. 391.

Parallels. — Mr. Lang, in the essay "A Far-traveled
Tale," in which he gives the story, mentions several
variants of it, including the classical myth of Jason
and Medea. An American-English variant was read
by Mr. Nowell before the Folk-lore Congress under
the title "Lady Feather Flight." Mr. Nowell sug-
gests that Shakespeare's "Tempest" owes something
to the main idea of the tale, a warlock's daughter fall-
ing in love with his captive and helping him with
tasks. A fuller study in Cosquin, I.e., ii. 12-28. For
the finger ladder, see Kohler, in "Orient und Occi-
dent," ii. 111. Cf. also note on "The Battle of the
Birds" in "Celtic Fairy Tales."

VIII. JACK HANNAFORD.

Source. — Henderson's "Folk-Lore of Northern
Counties" (first edition), p. 319. Communicated by
the Rev. S. Baring-Gould.

Parallels. — "Pilgrims from Paradise" are enumer-
ated in Clouston's "Book of Noodles," pp. 205, 214-8.
I have also two other English variants in MS., "The
Bob-tailed Man" and "Hereafterthis." See also Cos-
quin, I.e., i. 239.

IX. BINNORIE.

Source. — From the ballad of the "Twa Sisters o
Binnorie." I have used the longer version in Roberts'
''Legendary Ballads," with one or two touches from
Mr. Allingham's shorter and more powerful variant in
"The Ballad Book." A tale is the better for length,
a ballad for its curtness. "Sweet pale face" occurs in
the original, with all deference to my "Saturday Re-
viewer."

Parallels. — The story is qlearly that of Grimm's

272 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

^'Singing Bone" (No. 28), where one brother slays the
other and buries him under a bush. Years after a
shepherd passing by finds a bone under the bush and,
blowing through this, hears the bone denounce the
murderer. For numerous variants in Ballads and
Folk Tales, see Prof. Child's "English and Scotch
Ballads" (ed. 1886), i. 125, 493; iii. 499; and the
paper of Prof. Monceur referred to in Notes to
"The Magic Fiddle" in "Indian Fairy Tales." There
is an English version in T. Hughes' "Scouring of the
White Horse."

X. MOUSE AND MOUSER.

Source. — From memory by Mrs. E. Burne-Jones.

Parallels. — A fragment is given in Halliwell, 43;
Chambers' "Popular Rhymes" has a Scotch version,
"The Cattie sits in the Kilnring spinc;^"ng" (p. 53).
The surprise at the end, similar to that in Perrault's
"Red Riding Hood," is a frequent device in English
folk tales. {Cf. infra, Nos. xii., xxiv., xxix., xxxiii.,
xli.)

XI. CAP 0' RUSHES.

*S'o«rce.— Discovered by Mr. E. Clodd, in ''Suffolk
Notes and Queries" of the Ipstvich Journal, published
by Mr. Lang in Longman's Magazine, vol. xiii., also in
Folk-Lore, Sept., 1890.

Parallels. — The beginning recalls "King Lear."
For "loving like salt," see the parallels collected by
Cosquin, i. 288; and for "ring of recognition" my list
of Folk Tale Incidents in "Transactions, Folk-Lore
Congress," 1892, sub voce. The whole story is a ver-
sion of the numerous class of Cinderella stories, the
particular variety being the Catskin sub-species
analogous to Perrault's "Peau d'Ane." "Catskin"
was told by Mr. Burchell to the young Primroses in
"The Vicar of Wakefield," and has been elaborately
studied by the late H. C. Coote, in Folk-Lore Record,
iii. 1-25. It is only now extant in ballad form, of

NOTES Aiyx. jXEFERENCES. 273

which '*Cap o' Rushes" may be regarded as a prose
version.

XII. TEENY-TINY.

Source. — Halliwell, 148.

Parallels.— Runt, "Drolls >f West of England," p.
453.

XIII. JACK AND THE BEANSTALK.

Source. — I tell this as it was told me in Australia,
somewhere about the year 1860.

Parallels. — There is a chap-book version which is
very poor; it is given by Mr, E. S. Hartland, "English
Folk and Fairy Tales" (Camelot Series), p. 35 seq.
In this, when Jack arrives at the top of the Beanstalk,
he is met by a fairy, who gravely informs him that tht
ogre had stolen all his possessions from Jack's father.
The object of this was to prevent the tale becoming an
encouragement to theft! I have had greater confi-
dence in my young friends, and have deleted the fairy,
who did not exist in the tale as told to me. For the
Beanstalk elsewhere, see Ralston, "Russian Folk
Tales," 393-8. Cosquin has some remarks on magical
ascents (i. 14).

XIV. THREE LITTLE PIGS.

Source. — Halliwell, p. 16.

Parallels. — The only known parallels are one from
Venice, Bernoni, "Trad. Pop.," punt. iii. p. 65, given
in Crane, "Italian Popular Tales," p. 267, "The
Three Goslings;" and a negro tale in Lippiricotfs
Magazine, December, 1877, p. 753 ("Tiny Pig").
Another English version is given in Mr. Lang's
"Green Fairy Book."

Remarks. — As little pigs do not have hair on their
chinny chinchins, I suspect that they were originally
kids, who have. This would bring the tale close to

274 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

the Grimms' "Wolf and Seven Little Kids" (No. 5).
In Steel and Temple's "Lambikin" ("Wide-awake
Stories," p. 71), the Lambikin gets inside a Drumi-
kin, and so nearly escapes the jackal. See "Indian
Fairy Tales," No. iii. and Notes,

XV. MASTER AND PUPIL.

Source. — Henderson, "Folk-Lore of Northern Coun-
ties," first edition, p. 343, communicated by the Kev.
S. Baring-Gould. The rhymes on the open book have
been supplied by Mr. Batten, in whose family, if I un-
derstand him rightly, they have been long used for

raising tlie ; something similar occurs in Halli-

well, p. 243, as a riddle rhyme. The mystic signs in
Greek are a familiar "counting-out rhyme:" these
have been studied in a monograph by Mr. H. C. Bol-
ton; he thinks they are "survivals" of incantations.
Under the circumstances, it would be perhaps as well
if the reader did not read the lines out when alone.
One never knows what may happen.

Parallels. — Sorcerers' pupils seem to be generally
selected for their stupidity — in folk-tales. Friar
Bacon was defrauded of his labor in producing the
Brazen Head in a similar way. In one of the legends
about Virgil he summoned a number of demons, who
would have torn h^^n to pieces if he had not set them
at work (J. S. Tunison, "Master Virgil," Cincinnati,
1888, p. 30). Our story is told of Donald McKay in
Folh-Lore Record, vi. 153; cf. too, "Why the Sea is
Salt" in Dasent.

XVL TITTY MOUSE AND TATTY MOUSE.

Source. — Halliwell, p. 115.

Parallels. — This curious droll is extremely wide-
spread; references are given in Cosquin, i. 204 seq.;
and Crane, "Italian Popular Tales," 375-6. As a
Specimen I may indicate what is implied throughout
these notes by such bibliographical references by

NOTES AND REFERENCES. 275

drawing up a list of the variants of this tale noticed
by these two authorities, adding one or two lately-
printed. Various versions have been discovered in

England: Halliwell, "Nursery Rhymes," p. 115.

Scotland: K. Blind, in Areh. Rev. iii. ("Fleakin and Louisi-
kin," in the Shetlands).

Feance: Melusine, 1877, col. 424; Sebillot, Contes pop. de In
Haute Bretngne, No. 55, Literature or ale, p. 232; Mag-
asin pittoresque, 1869, p. 82; Cosquin, Contes pop. de
Lorraine, Nos. 18 and 74.

Italy: Pitre, Novelline popolari siciliane,TiJo. 134 (translated
in Crane, " Ital. Fop. Tales," p. 257); Imbriani, La
novellaja Fiorentina,p.24A; 'BeTBoni,Tradizione Popolari
venczianc, punt. iii. p. 81; Gianandrea, BLblioteca delle
tradizinni popolari marchigiane, p. 11; Papanti,
Novelline popolari livornesi, p. 19 (" Vezzino e Madonna
Salciccia"); Finamore, Trad. pop. ahruzzesi, p. 244;
Morosi, Studi s^ii Dialctti Greet della Terra d'Otranto,
p. 75; Oiamb. Basile, 1884, p. 37.

Germany: Grimm, Kinder-und Haus-Marchen, No. 30;
Kuhn und Schwarz, N ord-dcutsche Sagen, No. 16.

Norway: Asbjornsen, No. 103 (translated in Sir G. Dasent's
Talcs from the Fjeld, p. 30, "Death of Chanticleer").

Spain: Maspons, Cuentos popular s Catalans, p. 12; Fernan
Caballero, Cuentos y refranes populares, p. 3 ("La
Hormiguita").

Portugal: Coelho, Contos popolares portuguezes. No. 1.

Roumania: Kremnitz, Rumanische Mahrchen, No. 15.

Asia Minor: Von Hahn, Oriechisehe und Albanesische
Marchen, No. 56.

India: Steel and Temple, "Wide-awake Stories," p. 157 ("The
Death and Burial of Poor Hen-Sparrow").

Remarks. — These twenty-five variants of the same
jingle scattered over the world from India to Spain,
present the problem of the diffusion of folk-tales in its
simplest form. No one is likely to contend with Prof.
Miiller and Sir George Cox, that we have here the
detritus of archaic Aryan mythology, a parody of a
gun-myth. There is little that is savage and archaic
to attract the school of Dr. Tylor, beyond the speak-
ing powers of animals and inanimates. Yet even Mr.
Lang is not likely to hold that these variants arose by
coincidence and independently in the various parts of
the world where they have been found. The only

276 ENOLISH FAIR Y TALES. -

solution is that the curious succession of incidents was
invented once for all at some definite place and t:me
by some definite entertainer for children, and spread
thence through all the Old World. In a few instances
we can actually trace the passage — e.g., the Shetland
version was certainly brought o^". from Hamburg.
"Whether the center of dispersion was India or not, it
is impossible to say, as it might have spread east from
Smyrna (Hahn, No. 56). Benfey {Einleihing zu
Pantscliatantra, i. 190-91) suggests that this class of
accumulative story may be a sort of parody on the
Indian stories, illustrating the moral, "what great
events from small occasions rise." Thus, a drop of
honey falls on the ground; a fly goes after it, a bird
snaps at the fly, a dog goes for the bird, another dog
goes for the first, the masters of the two dogs — who
happen to be kings — quarrel and go to war, whole
provinces are devastated, and all for a drop of honey!
"Titty Mouse and Tatty Mouse" also ends in a uni-
versal calamity which seems to arise from a cause of
no great importance. Benfey's suggestion is cer-
tainly ingenious, but perhaps too ingenious to be true.

XVII. JACK AND HIS SNUFF-BOX.

Source. — Mr. F. Hindes Groome, "In Gypsy Tents,"
p. 201 seq. I have eliminated a superfluous Gypsy who
makes her appearance toward the end of the tale a
propos des lottes, but otherwise have left the tale un-
altered as one of the few English folk-tales that have
been taken down from the mouths of the peasantry:
this applies also to i., ii., xi.

Parallels. — There is a magic snuff-box with a
friendly power in it in Kennedy's "Fictions of the
Irish Celts," p. 49, The choice between a small cake
with a blessing, etc., is frequent {cf. No. xxiii.), but
the closest parallel to the whole story, including the
mice, is afforded by a tale in Carnoy and Nicolaides'
"Traditions populaires de I'Asie Mineure," which is
translated as the first tale in Mr. Lang's "Blue Fairy

NOTES AND REFERENCES. 277

Book." There is much in both that is similar to
Aladdin, I beg his pardon, Allah-ed-din, and in Grey
Norris F. L. J., i. 316; as also in "Penny Jack," a
story given by Mr. W. A. Clouston in Folk-Lore, No.
iv., and in "The Charmed Ring" of "Indian Fairy
Tales."

XVIII. THE THREE BEARS.

Source. — Verbatim et literatim from Southey, "The
Doctor," etc., quarto edition, p. 327.

Parallels. — None in full, as it was invented by
South ey. There is an Italian translation, "I tre
Orsi," Turin, 1868, and it would be curious to see if
the tale ever acclimatizes itself in Italy. But the in-
cident of sitting in the chairs, etc., is in the Grimm's
"Schneewitchen."

Remarks. — "The Three Bears" is the only example
I know of where a tale that can be definitely traced to
a specific author has become a folk-tale. Not alone is
this so, but the folk has developed the tale in a curi-
ous and instructive way, by substituting a pretty little
girl with golden locks for the naughty old woman. In
Southey's version there is nothing of little Silverhair
as the heroine: she seems to have been introduced in
a metrical version by G. N., much be-praised by
Southey. Silverhair seems to have become a favorite,
and in Mrs. Valentine's version of "The Three Bears,"
in "The Old, Old Fairy Tales" the visit to the bear
house is only the preliminary to a long succession of
adventures of the pretty little girl, of which there is
no trace in the original (and this in "The Old, Old
Fairy Tales." Oh! Mrs. Valentine!). I have, though
somewhat reluctantly, cast back to the original form.
After all, as Prof. Dowden remarks, Southey's mem-
ory is kept alive more by "The Three Bears" than
anything else, and the text of such a nursery classic
ghould be retained in all its purity.

278 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

XIX. JACK THE GIANT-KILLER.

Source. — From two chap-books at the British Mu-
seum (London, 1805, Paisley, 1814?). I have taken
3ome hints from "Felix Summerly's" (Sir Henry
Cole's) version, 1845. I'rom the latter part, I have
removed the incident of the Giant dragging the lady
along by her hair.

Parallels. — The chap-book of "Jack the Giant-
Killer" is a curious jumble. The second part, as in
most chap-books, is a weak and late invention of the
enemy, and is not volkstilmlich at all. The first part
is compounded of a comic and a serious theme. The
first is that of the Valiant Tailor (Grimm, No. 20); to
this belong the incidents of the fleabite blows (for va-
riants of which see Kohler in Jahrb. rom. etig. Phil.,
viii. 252), and that of the slit paunch, cf. Cosquin,
I.e., ii. 51). The Thankful Dead episode, where the
hero is assisted by the soul of a person whom he has
caused to be buried, is found as early as the Cento
novelle antich and Straparola, xi. 2. It has been best
studied by Kohler in "Germania," iii. 199-209 [cf. Cos-
quin, i. 214-5; ii. 14 and note; and Crane,"ItaL Pop.
Tales," 350, note 12). It occurs also in the curioua
play of Peele's "The Old Wives' Tale," in which one
of the characters is tlie Ghost of Jack. Fielding
refers to Jack the Giant-Killer in the beginning of
"Joseph Andrews." Practically the same story as
this part of Jack the Giant-Killer occurs in Kennedy's
"Fictions of the Irish Celts," p. 32, "Jack the Master
and Jack the Servant;" and Kennedy adds (p. 38),
"In some versions Jack the Servant is the spirit of the
buried man."

The "Fee-fi-fo-fum" formula is common to all Eng-
lish stories of giants and ogres; it also occurs in
Peele's play and in "King Lear" (see note on "Childe
Bowland"). Messrs. Jones and Kropf have some re-
marks on it in their "Magyar Tales," pp. 340-1; so
has Mr. Lang in his "Perrault," p. Ixiii., where he
traces it to the Furies in -^schylus' "Eumenides."

NOTES AND HMEHEH'CES. 279

XX. HENNY-PENNY.

Source. — I give this as it was told me in Australia in
1860. The fun consists in the avoidance of all pro-
nouns, which results in jaw-bveaking sentences almost
equal to the celebrated "She stood at the door of the
fish-sauce shop, welcoming him in.'*

Parallels. — Halliwell, p. 151, has the same with the
title "Chicken-Licken." It occurs also in Chambers'
"Popular Khymes," p. 59, with the same nam^s of
the dramatis personce as my version. Kennedy, "Fire-
side Tales of Ireland," p. 25, has it under the ^itle
'The End of the World." For European parallels,
see Crane, "Ital. Pop. Tales," 377, and authorities
there quoted.

XXI. CHILDE EOWLAND.

Source. — Jamieson's "Illustrations of Northern An-
tiquities,'' 1814, p. 397 seq., who gives it as told by »
tailor in his youth, c. 1770. I have Anglicized the
Scotticisms, eliminated an unnecessary ox-herd and
swine-herd, who lose their heads for directing the
Childe, and I have called the Erlkonig's lair the Dark
Tower on the strength of the description and of
Shakespeare's reference. I have likewise suggested a
reason why Burd Ellen fell into his power, chiefly in
order to introduce a definition of "widershins." "All
the rest is the original horse," even including the er-
roneous description of the youngest son as the Childe
or heir (cf. "Childe Harold" and Childe Wynd, iiifra,
No. xxxiii.), unless this is some "survival" of Junior
Eight or "Borough English," the archaic custom of
letting the heirship pass to the youngest son. I
should add that, on the strength of the reference to
Merlin, Jamieson calls Childe Eowland's mother
Queen Guinevere, and introduces references to King
Authur and his Court. But as he confesses that these
are his own improvements on the tailor's narrative J
have eliminated them.

280 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

Parallels. — The search for the Dark Tower is sir >ii.a,f
to that of the Ked Ettin {cf. Kohler on GonzenbacZ:,
ii. 222). The formula "Youngest best," in which
the youngest of three brothers succeeds after the
others have failed, is one of the most familiar in folk-
tales, amusingly parodied by Mr. Lang in his "Prince
Prigio." The taboo against taking food in the under
world occurs in the myth of Proserpine, and is also
frequent in folk-tales (Child, i. 322), But the folk-
tale parallels to our tale fade into insigniJScance be-
fore its brilliant literary relationships. Browning has
a poem under the title, working upon a line of "King
Lear." There can be little doubt that Edgar, in his
mad scene in "King Lear," is alluding to our tale
when he breaks into the lines:

" Childe Rowland to the Dark Tower came . . .
His word was still: 'Fie, foh and fum,
I smell the blood of a British* man.' "

King Lear, act iii. sc. 4, and ad fin.

The latter reference is to the cry of the King of
Elfland. That some such story was current iu Eng-
land in Shakespeare's time is proved by that curious
melange of nursery tales, Peele's "The Old Wives'
Tale." The main plot of this is the search of two
brothers, Calypha and Thelea, for a lost sister, Delia,
who has been besi3elled by a sorcerer, Sacrapant (the
names are taken from the "Orlando Furioso"). They
are instructed by an old man (like Merlin in "Childe
Eowland") how to rescue their sister, and ultimately
succeed. The play has besides this the themes of the
Thankful Dead, the Three Heads of the Well (which
see), the Life Index, and a transformation, so that it
is not to be wondered at if some of the traits of

♦"British" for "English." This is one of the points that
settles the date of the play; James I. was declared King of Great
Britain, October, 1G04. I may add that Motherwell in his
"Minstrelsy," p. xiv. note, testifies that the story was still extant
in the nursery at the time he wrote (1828).

NOTES AND REFERENCES. 881

"Childe Rowland" are observed in it, especially as the
play explains that it was made up of foik-taies.

But a still closer parallel is afforded by Milton's
"Comus." Here again we have two brothers in search
of a sister, who has got into the power of an en<
chanter. I3ut besides this, there is the refusal of the
heroine to touch the enchanted food, just as Chilie
Rowland finally refuses. And ultimately the bespelled
heroine is liberated by a liquid, which is applied to her
lips and finger-tips, just as Childe Rowland's brothers
are unspelled by applying a liquid to their ears, eye-
lids, nostrils, lips and finger-tips. There may be here
a trace of the supreme unction of the Catholic
Church. Such a minute resemblance as this cannot
be accidental, and it is therefore probable that Milton
ased the original form of "Childe Rowland," or some
variant of it, as heard in his youth, and adapted it to
the purposes of the masque at Ludlow Castle, and of
his allegory. Certainly no other folk-tale in the world
can claim so distinguished an offspring.

Remarks, — Distinguished as "Childe Rowland" will
be henceforth as the origin of "Comus," if my affiliaT
tion be accepted, it has even more remarkable points
of interest, both in form and matter, for the folk-
lorist, unless I am much mistaken. I will therefore
touch upon these points, reserving a more detailed ex-
amination for another occasion.

First, as to the form of the narrative. This begins
with verse, then turns to prose, and throughout drops
again at intervals into poetry in a friendly way like
Mr. Wegg. Now this is a form of writing not un-
known in other branches of literature, the cante-fahle,
of which "Aucassin et Nicolete" is the most distin-
guished example. Nor is the cante-fable confined to
France. Many of the heroic verses of the Arabs con-
tained in the "Hamdsa" would be unintelligible with-
out accompanying narrative, which is nowadays pre-
served in the commentary. The verses imbedded in
the "Arabian Nights" give them something of the
character of a cante-fable, and the same may be said of

283 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

the Indian and Persian story-books, though the verss
is usually of a sententious and moral kind, as in
the gdthas of the Buddhist Jatakas. Even as remote
as Zanzibar, Mr. Lang notes, the folk-tales are told as
cante-fables. The contemporary Indian story-tellers,
Mr. Hartland notes, also commingle verse and prose.
There are even traces in the Old Testament of such
screeds of verse amid the prose narrative, as in the
story of Lamech or that of Balaam. All this suggests
that this is a very early and common form of nar-
rative. {Cf. note on "Connla" in "Celtic Fairy
Tales.")

Among folk-tales there are still many traces of
the cante-fable. Thus, in Grimm's collection verses
occur in Nos. 1, 5, 11, 12, 13, 15, 19, 21, 24, 28, 30,
36, 38«, h, 39a, 40, 45, 46, 47, out of the first fifty
tales, 36 per cent. Of Chambers' twenty-one folk-
tales, in the "Popular Rhymes of Scotland" only five
are without interspersed verses.

Of the forty-three tales contained in this volume,
three (ix., xxix., xxxiii.) are derived from ballads and
do not therefore count in the present connection. 01
the remaining forty i., iii., vii., xvi., xix., xxi., xxiii.,
XXV., xxxi., XXXV., xxxviii., xli. (made up from
verses), xliii., contain rhymed lines, while xiv., xxii.,
xxvi., and xxxvii., contain "survivals" of rhymes
("let me come in — chinny chin-chin;" "once again
. . . come to Spain;" "it is not so — should be so;"
"and his lady, him behind"); and x. and xxxii. are
rhythmical if not rhyming. As most of the remainder
are drolls, which have probably a different origin,
there seems to be great probability that originally all
folk-tales of a serious character were interspersed with
rhyme, and took therefore the form of the cante-fable.
It is indeed unlikely tl)at the ballad itself began as
continuous verse, and the cante-fable is probably the
protoplasm out of which both ballad and folk-tale have
been differentiated, the ballad by omitting the narra-
tive prose, the folk-tale by expanding it. In "Childe
Rowland" we have the nearest example to such proto-

NOTES AND REFERENCES. 283

plasm, and it is not difficult to see how it could have
been shortened into a baiiati or reduced to a prose
folk-tale pure and simple.

Tiie subject matter of "Childe Rowland" has also
claims on our attention, especially with regard to re-
cent views on the true nature and origin of elves,
trolls, and fairies. I refer to the recently published
work of Mr. D. MacRitchie, "The Testimony of Tradi-
tion (Kegan Paul, Trench, Triibner & Co.) — i.e., of
tradition about the fairies and the rest. Briefly put,
Mr. MacRitchie's view is, that the elves, trolls, and
fairies represented in popular tradition are really the
mound-dwellers, whose remains have been discovered
in some abundance in the form of green hillocks,
which have been artificially raised over a long and low
passage leading to a central chamber open to the sky.
Mr. MacRitchie shows that in several instances tradi-
tions about trolls or "good people" have attached
themselves to mounds, which have afterward, on inves-
tigation, turned out to be evidently the former resi-
dence of men of smaller build than the mortals of to-day.
He goes on further to identify these with the Picts —
fairies are called "Peohs" in Scotland — and other early
races, but with these ethnological equations we need
not much concern ourselves It is otherwise with the
mound traditions and their relation, if not to fairy
tales in general, to tales about fairies, trolls, elves, etc.
These are very few in number, and generally bear the
character of anecdotes. The fairies, etc., steal a
child, they help a wanderer to a drink and then disap-
pear into a green hill; they help cottagers with their
work at niglit, but disappear if their presence is
noticed; human midv/ives are asked to help fairy
mothers, fairy maiden^ marry ordinary men or girls
marry and live with f^.iry husbands. All such things
may have happened and bear no such a priori marks
of impossibility as speaking animals, flying through
the air, and similar incidents of the folk-tale pure and
simple. If, as archaeologists tell us, there was once a
sace of men in !Northern Europe, very short and

284 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

hairy, that dwelt in underground chambers artiiiciaflj
concealed by green hillocks, it does not seem unlikely
that odd survivors of the race should have lived on
after they had been conquered and nearly extermi-
nated by Aryan invaders, and should occasionally have
performed something like the pranks told of fairies
and trolls.

Certainly the description of the Dark Tower of the
King of Elfland in "Childe Rowland," has a remark-
able resemblance to the dwellings of the "good folk,'*
which recent excavations have revealed. By the kind-
ness of Mr. MacRitchie, I am enabled to give the
reader a description of one of the most interesting of
these, the Maes-How of Orkney. This is a green
mound some 100 feet in length and 35 in breadth at
its broadest part. Tradition had long located a goblin
in its center, but it was not till 1861 that it was dis-
covered to be pierced by a long passage 53 feet in
length, and only two feet four inches high, for half of
its length. This led into a central chamber 15 feet
square and open to the sky.

Now it is remarkable how accurately all this corre-
sponds to the Dark Tower of "Childe Rowland," al-
lowing for a little idealization on the part of the nar-
rator. We have the long dark passage leading into
the well-lit central chamber, and all inclosed in a
green hill or mound. It is of course curious to con-
trast Mr. Batten's frontispiece with the central cham-
ber of the How, but the essential features are the
same.

Even such a minute touch as the terraces on the
hill have their bearing, I believe, on Mr. MacRitchie's
"realistic" views of Faerie. For in quite another con-
nection Mr. G. L. Gomme, in his book "The Village
Community" (W. Scott), pp. 75-98, has given reasons
and examples* for believing that terrace cultivation
along the sides of hills was a practice of the non- Aryan

* To these may be added Zona (c/. Duke of Argyll, "lona," p.

NOTES AND REFERENCES. 385

and pre- Aryan inhabitants of these isles. Here then
from a quarter quite unexpected by Mr. MacRitchie,
we have evidence of the association of the King of
Elfland with a non-Aryan mode of cultivation of the
coil.

Altogether it seems not improbable that in such a
tale as "Childe Rowland" we have an idealized pic-
ture of a "marriage by capture" of one of the dimin-
utive non-Aryan dwellers of the green hills with an
Aryan maiden, and her recapture by her brothers. It
is otherwise difficult to account for such a circum-
stantial description of the interior of these mounds,
and especially of such a detail as the terrace cultiva-
tion on them. At the same time it must not be thought
that Mr. MacRitchie's views explain all fairy tales, or
that his identifications of Finns = Fenians=Fairies=
5^idhe = "Pechs" = Picts, will necessarily be accepted.
His interesting book, so far as it goes, seems to throw
light on tales about mermaids (Finnish women in their
"kayaks") and trolls, but not necessarily on fairy
tales in general. Thus, in the present volume, besides
"Childe Rowland," there is only "Tom Tit Tot" in
his hollow, the green hill in "Kate Crackernuts," the
"Cauld Lad of Hilton," and perhaps the "Fairy Oint-
ment," that are affected by his views.

Finally, there are a couple of words in the narrative
that deserve a couple of words of explanation: "Wider-
shins" is probably, as Mr. Batten suggests, analogous
to the German "wider Schein," against the appear-
ance of the sun, "counterclockwise" as the mathemati-
cians say — t.e., W., S., E., N., instead of with the sun
and the hands of a clock; Mr. Gollanez in the
Academy suggests "Wider Sinn," i.e., in an opposite
direction. "Bogle" is a provincial word for "specter,"
and is analogous to the Welsh hwg, "goblin," and to
the English insect of similar name, and still more cu-
riously to the Russian "Bog," God, after which so
many Russian rivers are named. I may add that
"Burd" is etymologically the same as "bride," and is
frequently used in the early romances for "Lady."

286 ENGLISH FAIRT TALES.

XXII. MOLLY WHUPPIE.

Source. — Folk- Lore Journal, ii. p. 68, forwarded by
Rev. Walter Gregor. I have modified the dialect and
changed **Mally" into "Molly."

Parallels. — The first part is clearly the theme ot
"Hop o' my Thumb," which Mr. Lang has studied in
his "Perrault," pp. civ.-cxi. {cf. Kohler, "Occident,"
ii. 301). The change of night dresses occurs in Greek
myths. The latter part wanders off into "rob giant of
three things," a familiar incident in folk-tales (Cos-
quin, i. 46-7), and finally winds up with the "out of
sack" trick, for which see Cosquin, i. 113; ii. 209;
and Kohler, in "Occident und Orient/' n. 489-506,
on Campbell, No. xvii. Maol Chliobarn, which was
undoubtedly the source of our story. Kennedy's
"Fireside Stories," No. 1, "Hairy Rouchy" are ex-
actly similar, showing the story to be originally Celtic.

XXIIL RED ETTIN.

/b'owrce.— "The Red Etin/' in Chambers* "Pop.
Rhymes of Scotland," p. 89. I have reduced the ad-
ventures from three to two, and cut down the herds
and their answers. I have substituted riddles from
the first English collection of riddles, "The Demandes
Joyous" of Wynkyn de VVorde, for the poor ones of
the original, which are besides not solved. "Ettin"
is the English spelling of the word, as it is thus spelled
in a passage of Beaumont and Fletcher ("Knight of
Burning Pestle," i. 1), which may refer to this very
story, which, as we shall see, is quite as old as their
time. It is the "Jotunn" of the Eddas (Dasent,
"Norse Tales," p. cxxvii.).

Parallels.— ''The Red Etin" is referred to in "The
Complaynt of Scotland," about 1548. It has some re-
semblance to "Childe Rowland," which see. The
"death index," as we may call tokens that tell the
state of health of a parted partner, is a usual incident
in the theme of the Two Brothers, and has ^een

NOTES AND REFERENCES. 887

studied by the Grimma, i. 421, 453; ii. 403; by KShler
on CampSell, Occ. u. Or., ii. 119-5^0; on Gonzenbach,
ii. 230; on Blade, 248; by Cosquin, Ic, \. 70-2, 193;
by Crane, "Ital. Pop. Tales," 326; and by Jones and
Kropf, "Magyar Tales," 329. Eiddles generally come
in the form of the "riddle-bride-wager" {cf. Child,
"Ballads," i. 415-9; ii. 519), when the hero or heroine
wins a spouse by guessing a riddle or riddles. Here
it is the simpler Sphinx form of the "riddle task,"
on which see Kohler in Jahri. rom. Phil., vii. 273,
and on Gonzenbach, 215.

XXIV. GOLDEN ARM.

Source. — Henderson, I.e., t). 538, collected by the
Rev. S. Baring-Gould, in Devonshire. Mr. Burne-
Jones remembers hearing it in his youth in Warwick-
shire, where 1 have also traces of it as "The Golden
Leg."

Parallels. — The first fragment at the end of Grimm
(ii. 467, of Mrs. Hunt's translation), tells of an inn-
keeper's wife who had used tne liver of a man hanging
on the gallows, whose ghost comes to her and tells her
?rhat has become of his hair, and his eyes, and the
dialogue concludes

"She: Where is thy liver?
It: Thou hast devoured it I

For similar "surprise packets" see Cosquin, ii. 77.

Remarks. — It is doubtful how far such grewsome
topics should be introduced into a book for children,
but, as a matter of fact, the wa'Oapozs of pity and terror
among the little ones is as effective as among the spec-
tators of a drama, and they take the same kind of
pleasant thrill from such stories. They know it is all
make-believe just as much as the spectators of a tragedy.
Every one who has enjoyed the blessing of a romantic
imagination has been trainee" np on such tales of
■wonder.

288 EN&LI8H FAIRY TALES.

XXV. TOM THUMB.

Source. — From the chap-book contained in Halli-
vi'ell, p. 199, and Mr. Hartland's "English Folk and
Fairy Tales." I have omitted much of the second
part.

Parallels. — Halliwell has also a version entirely in
verse. 'Tom Thumb" is "Le petit Poucet" of the
French, "Daumling" of the Germans, and similar
diminutive heroes elsewhere {cf. Deulin, "Contes de
ma Mere I'Oye," 326), but of his adventures only that
in the cow's stomach {cf. Cosquin, ii. 190) is common
with his French and German cousins. M. Gaston,
Paris, has a monograph on "Tom Thumb."

XXVI. MR. FOX.

Source. — Contributed by Blakeway to Malone's
Variorum Shakespeare, to illustrate Benedick's remark
in "Much Ado about Nothing" (I. i. 146): "Like the
old tale, my lord, 'It is not so, nor 'twas not so, but,
indeed, God forbid it should be so;' " which clearly
refers to the tale of Mr. Fox. "The Forbidden
Chu/nber" has been studied by Mr. Hartland, Folk-
Lore Journal, iii. 193 seq.

Parallels. — Halliwell, p. 166, gives a similar tale of
"An Oxford Student," whose sweetheart saw him
digging her grave. "Mr. Fox" is clearly a variant of
the theme of "The Robber Bridegroom" (Grimm, No.
40, Mrs. Hunt's translation, i. 389, 395; and Cosquin,
i. 180-1).

XXVII. LAZY JACK.

Source. — Halliwell, 157, from Yorkshire.

Parallels. — The same story occurs in Lowland
Scotch as "Jock and his Mother," Chambers, I.e., 101;
in Ireland, as "I'll be wiser next time," Kennedy, I.e.,
39-42, and his "Fireside Stories," p. 30. Abroad it is
Grimm's "Hans im Gluck" (No. 83). The "cure by

NOTES AND REFERENCES. 5J89

laughing" incident is "common form" in folk-tales {cf.
Kohler on Gonzenbach, "Sizil. Marchen,"ii. 210, 324;
Jones and Kropf, "Magyar Tales," 312).

XXVIII. JOHNNY-CAKE.

Source. — American Jourtial of Folk-Lore, ii. 60 {c.f
No. for July, 1891).

Parallels. — Another variant is given in the same
Journal, p. 277, where reference is also made to a
version, "The Gingerbread Boy," in St. Nicholas,
May, 1875. Chambers gives two versions of the same
story, under the title "The Wee Bunnock," the first
of which is one of the most dramatic and humorous of
folk-tales. Unfortunately, the Scotticisms are so fre-
quent as to render the Droll practically untranslatable.
Also in Ireland as "The Wonderful Cake" (Kennedy,
"Fireside Stories," p. 19). "The Fate of Mr. Jack
Sparrow" in "Uncle Remus" is similar to that of
Johnny-Cake.

XXIX. EARL MAR'S DAUGHTER.

Source. — From the ballad of the same name as given
in Mr. Allingham's "Ballad Book;" it is clearly a
fairy tale and not a ballad proper.

Parallels. — The lover visiting his spouse in guise of
a bird is a frequent motif in folk-tales.

XXX. MR. MIACCA.

Source. — From memory of Mrs. B. Abrahams, who
heard it from her mother some x years ago {xy 40), I
have transposed the two incidents, as in her version
Tommy Grimes was a clever carver and carried about
with him a carven leg. This seemed to me to exceed
the limits of vraisemblance even for a folk-tale.

Parallels. — Getting out of an ogre's clutches by
playing on the simplicity of his wife occurs v\ "Molly
Whuppie" (No. xxii.), and its simjltirs. In th/

290 ENGLISH FAIRT TALES.

Grimms' "Hansel and Grethel," Hansel pokes out a
stick instead of his finger that the witch may not
think him fat enough for the table.

JRemarks. — Mr. Miacca seems to have played the
double role of a domestic Providence. He not alone
punished bad boys, as here, but also rewarded the
good, by leaving them gifts on appropriate occasions,
like Santa Glaus or Father Ghristmas, who, as is well
known, only leaves things for good children. Mrs.
Abrahams remembers one occasion well when she
nearly caught sight of Mr. Miacca, just aftar he had
left her a gift; she saw his shadow in the shape of a
bright light passing down the garden.

XXXI. DICK WHITTINGTON".

Source, — I have cobbled this up out of three chap-
book versions: (1) that contained in Mr. Hartland's
''English Folk-Tales;" {'l) that edited by Mr. H. B.
Wheatley for the Villon Society; (3) that appended to
Messrs. Besant and Rice's monograph.

Parallels. — Whittingtou's cat has made the fortune
of his master in all parts of the Old AVorld, as Mr. W.
A. Clouston, among others, has shown, ''Popular
Tales and Fictions," ii. 65-78 {cf. Kohler on Gonzen-
bach, ii. 251).

Remarks. — If Bow Bells had pealed in the exact
and accurate nineteenth century, they doubtless would
have chimed

Turn again, Whittington,

Thrice and a half Lord Mayor of London.

For besides his three mayoralties of 1397, 1406, and
14-19, he served as Lord Mayor in place of Adam
Bamme, deceased, in the latter half of the mayoralty
of 1396. It will be noticed that the chap-book puts
the introduction of potatoes rather far back.

NOTES AND REFERENCES. 291

XXXII. THE STRANGE VISITOR.

Source. — From Chambers, I.e., 64, much Anglicized.
I have retained "Aih-late-wee-moul," though I can.
didly confess I have not the slightest idea what it
means; judging other children by myself, I do not
think that makes the response less effective. The
prosaic-minded may substitute "Up-late-and-little-
food."

Parallels. — The man made by instalments, occurs in
the Grimms, No. 4, and something like it in an Eng-
lish folk-tale, "The Golden Ball," ap. Henderson,
I.e., p. 33.3; cf. ''The Sprightly Tailor" in my "Celtic
Fairy Tales.''

XXXIII. THE LAIDLY WORM.

Source. — From an eighteenth-century ballad of the
Rev. Mr. Lamb of Norham, as given in Prof. Child's
"Ballads;" with a few touches and verses from the
more ancient version "Kempion." A florid prose
version appeared in MoniJdy Chronicle of North Coun-
try Lore for May, 1890. I have made the obvious
emendation of

" O qui*; jcur sword, unbend your bow."
for

"O quit your sword, and bend your bow."

The story is still extant near Bamborough, Mrs.
Balfour informs me.

Parallels. — The ballad of "Kempe Owein"is a more
general version which "The Laidly Worm" has
localized near Bamborough. We learn from this that
the original herd was Kempe or Champion Owain, the
Welsh hero who flourished in the ninth century.
Childe Wynd therefore = Childe Owein. The "Deliv-
erance Kiss" has been studied by Prof. Child, I.e., i.
207. A noteworthy example occurs in Boiardo's
"Orlando Inamorato," cc. xxv., xxvi.

Remarks. — It is perhaps unnecessary to give the

393 ENGLISH FAIRT TALES.

equations "Laidly Worm = Loathly Worm = Loathsome
Dragon," and "borrowed = changed." On the rowan
tree, see Rhys' "Hibbert Lectures."

XXXIV. CAT AND MOUSE.

Source. — Halliwell, p. 154.

Parallels. — Scarcely more than a variant of the
"Old Woman and her Pig" (No. iv.), which see. It
is curious that a very similar "run" is added by
Bengali women at the end of every folk-tale they tell
(Lai Behari Day, "Folk Tales of Bengal," Pref. ad
fin).

XXXV. THE FISH AND THE EINO.

Source. — Henderson, I.e., p. 326, from a communi-
cation by the Rev. S. Baring-Gould. There is a
similar legend told of Stepney Church.

Parallels. — "Jonah rings" have been put together
by Mr. Clouston in his "Popular Tales," i. 398, etc.:
the most famous are those of Polycrates, of Solomon,
and the Sanskrit drama of "Sakuntala," the plot of
which turns upon such a ring. "Letters to kill
bearer" have been traced from Homer downward by
Prof. Kohler on Gonzenbach, ii. 220, and "the substi-
tuted letter" by the same authority in Occ. u. Or., ii.
289. Mr. Baring-Gould, who was one of the pioneers
of the study of folk-tales in this country, has given a
large number of instances of "the pre-ordained mar-
riage" in folk-tales in Henderson, I.e.

XXXVI. THE MAGPIE'S NEST.

Source. — I have built up the "Magpie's Nest" from
two nidification myths, as a German professor would
call them, in the Rev. Mr. Swainson's "Folk-Lore of
British Birds," pp. 80 and 166. I have received in-
struction about the relative values of nests from a
little friend of mine named Katie, who knows all

NOTES AND REFERENCES. 393

about it. If there is any mistake in the order of neat-
ness in the various birds' nests, I must have learned
my lesson badly.

Remarks. — English popular tradition is curiously
at variance about the magpie's nidificatory powers, for
another legend given by Mr. Swainson represents her
as refusing to be instructed by the birds, and that is
why she does not make a good nest. The latter part
of our tale occurs in the Welsh "Fables of Catwg" in
the '*Iolo MS."

XXXVII. KATE CEACKERNUTS.

Source. — Given by Mr. Lang in Longman* s J^agazine,
vol. xiv., and reprinted in Folk-Lore, September, 1890.
It is very corrupt, both girls being called Kate, and I
have had largely to rewrite.

Parallels. — There is a tale which is clearly a cousin
if not a parent of this in Kennedy's "Fictions," 54
seq., containing the visit to the green hill (for which
see "Ohilde Rowland"), a reference to nuts, and even
the sesame rhyme. The Prince is here a corpse who
becomes revivified; the same story is in Campbell, No.
13. The jealous stepmother is "universally human.'*
{Cf. Kohler on Gonzenbach, ii. 206.)

XXXYIII. THE CAULD LAD OF HILTON.

Source. — Henderson's "Folk-lore of Northern
Counties," 2d edition, published by the Folk-lort
Society, pp. 266-7. I have written the introductory
paragraph so as to convey some information about
Brownies, Bogles, and Redcaps, for which Henderson,
I.C., 246-53, is my authority. Mr. Batten's portrait
renders this somewhat superfluous.

Parallels.— ThQ Grimms' "Elves" (No. 39) behave
in like manner on being rewarded for their services.
Milton's "lubbar-fiend" in "L' Allegro" has all the
characteristics of a Brownie.

294 ENGLISH FAIRY TALES.

XXXIX. ASS, TABLE AND STICK.

Source. — Henderson, I.e., first edition, pp. 327-9,
by the Rev. S. Baring-Gould.

Parallels. — Mr. Baring-Gould gives another version
from the East Riding, I.e., 329, in which there are three
brothers who go through the adventures. He also
refers to European Variants, j). 311, which could now
be largely supplemented from Cosquin, i. 53-4, ii. 66,
171. To these add the Irish versions of Kennedy,
*'Eireside Stories," p. 25, "The Three Gifts," and
other "Fairy Legends," "The Legend of Bottle Hill."

Remarks. — As an example of the sun-myth explana-
tion of folk-tales I will quote the same authority (p.
314): "The Master, who gives the three precious gifts,
is the All Father, the Supreme Spirit. The gold and
jewel-dropping ass is the spring cloud, hanging in
the sky and shedding the bright productive vernal
showers. The table which covers itself is the earth
becoming covered with flowers and fruit at the bid-
ding of the new year. But there is a check; rain is
withheld, the process of vegetation is stayed by some
evil influence. Then comes the thunder-cloud, out of
which leaps the bolt; the rains pour down, the earth
receives them, and is covered with abundance — all that
was lost is recovered."

Mr. Baring-Gould, it is well known, has since be-
come a distinguished writer of fiction.

XL. FAIRY OINTMENT.

Source.— Mrs. Bray, "The Tamar and the Tavy," i.
174 (letters to Southey), as quoted by Mr. Hartland in
Folk-Lore, i. 207-8. I have christened the anonymous
midwife and euphemized her profession.

Parallels. — Mr. Hartland has studied Human Mid-
wives in the Archceol. Review, iv., and parallels to our
story in Folk-Lore, i. 209, seq.; the most interesting
of these is from Gervase of Tilbury (xiii. cent.), Otia
hnper., iii. 85, and three BrAton tales given by M,

NOTES AND REFERENCES. 295

Sebillot {Conies, ii. 42; Litt. oraJe, 23; Trad, et
Superst., i. 109). Cf. Prof. Child, i. 339; ii. 505. A
Welsh one is givea in Y Cymmrodor, vii. 197.

XLI. THE WELL OF THE WORLD'S j:ND.

Source. — Leyden's edition of ''The Complaynt of
Scotland," p. 234, seq., with additional touches from
Halliwell, 162-3, who makes up a slightly different
version from the rhymes. The opening formula I
have taken from Mayhew, London Labour, iii. 390.
who gives it as the usual one when tramps tell folk-
tales. I also added it to No. xvii.

Parallels. — Sir W. Scott remembered a similar story;
see Taylor's '"Gammer Grethel," ad Jin. In Scotland
it is Chambers' tale of "The Paddo," p. 87; Leyden
supposes it is referred to in the "Complaynt," (c.
1548), as "The Wolf of the Warldis End." The well
of this name occurs also in the Scotch version of the
"Three Heads of the Well" (No. xliii.). Abroad it is
the Grimms' first tale, while frogs who would a-wooing
go are discussed by Prof. Kohler, Occ, u. Orient., ii.
330; by Prof. Child, i. 298; and by Messrs. Jones and
Kropf, I.e. p. 404. The sieve-bucket task is wide-
spread from the Danaids of the Greeks to the leverets
of "Uncle Remus," who, curiously enough, use the
same rhyme: "Fill it wid moss en dob it wid clay."
Cf., too. No. xxiii.

XLIL MASTER OF ALL MASTERS.

Source. — I have taken what suited me from a num-
ber of sources, which shows how widespread this
quaint droll is in England: (i) In Mayhew, "London
Poor," iii. 391, told by a lad in a workhouse; (ii) sev-
eral versions in 7 "Notes and Queries," iii. 35, 87,
159, 398.

Parallels. — Rev. W. Gregor gives a Scotch version
under the title "The Clever Apprentice," in Folk-
Lore Journal, vii. 166. An Irish version with the

296 ENGLISH FAIR Y TALES.

Gaelic was given in Folic- Lore for March, 1891. Mr.
Hartland, in "Notes and Queries," I.e., 87, refers to
Pitre's Fiahi siciL, iii. 120, for a variant.

Remarks. — According to Mr. Hartland, the story is
designed as a satire on pedantry, and is as old in Italy
as Straparola (sixteenth century). In passionate Sicily
a wife disgusted with her husband's pedantry sets the
house on fire, and informs her husband of the fact: is
this unintelligible gibberish? he, not understanding
his own lingo, falls a victim to the flames, and she
marries the servant who had taken the message.

XLIII. THE THEEE HEADS OF THE WELL.

Source. — Halliwell, p. 158, from a chap-book. The
second wish has been somewhat euphemized.

Parallels. — The story forms part of Peele's "Old
"Wives' Tale," where the rhyme was

"A Head rises in the well.
Fair maiden, -white and red,
Stroke me smooth and comb my head.
And thou shalt have some cockell-bread."

It is also in Chambers, l.c, 105, where the well is at
the World's Eud (cf. No. xli.). The contrasted fates
of two stepsisters, is the Frau Holle (Grimm, No. 24)
type of Folk-tale studied by Cosquin, i. 250, seq.
"Kate Crackernuts" (No. xxxvii.) is a pleasant con-
trast to this.

TES BSTB.

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